Welcome to space.1337arts.com — Project Icarus, home of the original $150 near-space launch!
UPDATE: 8/7/10 We have created a forum. If you have questions, comments, or just want to show your near-space launch, post HERE!
UPDATE: 5/12/10 Check out grassrootsmapping.org! We’re helping citizens to use balloons, kites, and other simple and inexpensive tools to produce their own aerial imagery of the spill… documentation that will be essential for environmental and legal use in coming years.
UPDATE: 10/30/09: Want to do it yourself? Visit GUIDE, a compilation of detailed information regarding what we did for our launch.
Click Here for archive of updates
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***CAUTION/DISCLAIMER: Launching things into the stratosphere can be DANGEROUS! Please contact the FAA before trying any launches (even if they are under 4 lbs.) to make sure your vehicle won’t be entering restricted airspace and PLEASE check the University of Wyoming’sBalloon Trajectory Predictor(or a similar website) to make sure you balloon won’t be landing in the city/a populated area where it might cause significant damage. Also, be sure to test your balloon’s terminal velocity for descent before launching. We tested our parachute by putting eggs inside of our styrofoam box and tossing the box off of a 5 story building. We were not satisfied with the landing speed of our box until the eggs did not break upon the box’s impact.
About Project Icarus
We are a group of MIT students seeking to share the artistic aspects of science with others. On Sept. 2, 2009, we launched a digital camera into near-space to take photographs of the earth from high up above. (see “Flight”)
Several groups have accomplished similar feats (see “Other Launches”), but as far we know, we are the first group ever to:
(1) Complete such a launch on a budget of $150 total. All of our supplies (including camera, GPS tracking, weather balloon, and helium) were purchased for less than a grand total of $150.
(2) Create a launch vehicle without the use of any electronic hacking. We used off-the-shelf items exclusively (i.e., no electronic chips or soldering) to create our launch vehicle.
The results were fantastic. Our ultra low-budget balloon went 17.5 miles high into the uppermost parts of the stratosphere and returned 5 hours later. We tracked the device with GPS and found it some 20 miles away from the launch site.
Check us out on CNN, FOX, ABC! Click here to watch the Fox video, Click here to watch the CNN video. Click here to watch the ABC video
Project Icarus Details:
| Who | Oliver Yeh , Justin Lee, Eric Newton |
| Launch Date/Time | September 2nd, 2009, 11:45 EST |
| Launch Location | Sturbridge, MA - 42.12074, -72.06233 |
| Impact Location | Worcester, MA - 42.25504, -71.71943 |
| Distance Traveled | ~20 miles |
| Altitude Achieved | 98,000 feet, 17.5 miles |
| Helium Used | ~65 cubic feet |
| Weight | ~800g, 28oz |
| Camera | Canon A470 /w chdk open source firmware |
| Batteries | 4 Energizer Ultimate Lithium AA Batteries |
| GPS Reciever | Motorola i290 Prepaid Cellphone (“Boost Mobile”) |
| Tracking Software | Accutracking, Instamapper |
| Flight path | Google Earth kml |
| FAA regulation | Legal as long as payload is under 4 pounds |
**Below is a video for people who cannot access Youtube (e.g., people in China)
I have read a good joke in internet
What kind of music do ghosts listen to? Sheet music.
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Hey guys i sent a message to you a while ago but can you possibly send me the step by step to my email? ASAP….thanks lol.
I have a nice joke. What do you call a nun who walks in her sleep? A roaming Catholic.
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hey guys please toss me a email, I would like to replicate your project myself and I would like to just confirm with you.
Wow!
You Rock…sorry, You Space Guys…
You are true people of this world.. trying stuff with no boundry..
Use low and high Technology accessible to common people..
I can see you to try to launch a Space object.. 70miles (118km) high…
I’m sure you can figure it out…
LOL thirteen thirty seven XD
i guess thats one way to say it
Couldn’t you resell the camera afterward and effectively lower your costs? (not that they weren’t already low)
I was hoping you could send me the step-by-step instructions for this project, so that I could attempt to replicate it for my 8th grade science project. My dad and I attempted a similar project once before, but it was unsuccessful.
Respectfully,
Jacob
I am not a scientist, but I’m curious. At almost 18 miles up in the air, what force(s) caused the helium balloon to break/pop?
the vacuum of space getting stronger. the gasses inside the balloon expands to the point where it bursts from the inside out.
I have read a good joke in internet
What do you call a rabbit with fleas? Bugs Bunny.
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Ben,
As the balloon gets higher, the air pressure outside the balloon decreases, causing the helium inside to expand. This will make the balloon bigger and bigger until it finally pops.
Congratulation! It proved to be correct, spend little money.,
End of next week?
I have a nice joke for you people!
What would you get if you crossed a potato and a frog? A potatoad.
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wow! very nice. i envy you ^^k
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pLBUC-O1js
I’m a Sophomore in High School looking to duplicate this experiment for my Honors Chemistry class’s final project.
When you find the time, I’d really appreciate a copy of your plans.
Thanks in advance
Great work! You have demonstrated one can still do exciting good experiments without big budget. Way to go, guys.
Would ever consider releasing step-by-step build plans so we can replicate the build process? I’ve wondered where to cut camera holes, where to set up everything, etc. I guess it would help for a build tutorial, if you guys are willing to do so.
You can sell your information as a download at http://www.Buyeinfo.com the cost is built into the price. No cost to upload and no monthly fees. Post as much info you think people will buy.