The GPS cell phone we used to track the location of our vehicle lost reception soon after launch (at an elevation of ~2500 feet). Although we had expected to lose contact with the balloon, the altitude of “last-report” was much lower than expected.
After loss of electronic contact, we could continued to track the capsule visually for about half an hour until the glare of the sun prevented further viewing.
GPS information recorded in the flight logs reported a maximum altitude of 19,853 feet due to software limitations. With some simple approximations (linear extrapolation of velocity – a fair assumption justified after looking through flight trajectories of similar balloons), we estimated that our balloon achieved an altitude of about 93000 feet before returning to the earth. The balloon’s ascent took about 4 hours, and its descent took 40 minutes.
 Earth from 93000 feet. Long Island in the background.
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 Glowing from the sun
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 Our balloon popped at around 93000 feet, beginning its 40 minute descent
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 The falling balloon
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wow! it so coooool
I have to give all my appreciate for this idea
看到真实存在于天际的星星，那在地球上虚张声势的奋斗与荣誉，仿佛变成了孩提时代的傀儡戏。
this idea is so good!!!
are they from NASA?
you guys rock!
what’s next?
This is great stuff! I wish i could do this myself. Keep up the good work!
This is great stuff! Hitech and lowtech at the same time. I wish i could do this myself. And beautiful photos from space!
Why not put the parashute in the balloon, then it pops, the parashute deploys automaticly.
Why not put a rudder on the box, like a 4 foot rod to the side, to keep it from rotating so much?
Keep up the good work!
Peter T
Sweden
Guys, really, really GREAT!!!
This is an awesome idea!!! Congratulations!!!!
Best regards from São Paulo – Brasil.
Marcelo C. C. Rossin.
很好很强大
This is amazing! I’m from Shanghai, China. learnt about your project from Scientific World. Can I get more of the flight pictures by email? Thank you very much!!!
Persons who did this invention are not just students the brillant minds of our futures. Congratulations, you make people see how big things we can do with simplistic ideas.
Niiiiiiiiiice….
he he he…. Very nice job guys!!!! I hope to do something like that when I get to college!!! 
赞赞赞赞赞~\(≧▽≦)/~
赞赞赞赞赞~\(≧▽≦)/~
好漂亮呀，很好很强大！
megan thinks this is the coolest thing she has ever seen in her entire life. she says she feels like she has been reborn in a way..
very beautiful！
中国人奇强！！！！
伟大！