We are going to create a book of images taken from near space via several launches of high altitude weather balloons with cameras.
The most breathtaking photographs imaginable: the black of space, the blue and white skies and the distinct curvature of the earth truly make you feel as if you are in orbit.
On August 12, 1960, NASA launched the world's first communications satellite, Echo 1, onboard a Thor-Delta rocket. Echo, designed and built at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, was unique in that it was not a satellite in a conventional sense; it was a huge balloon. On June 21, 2004, Scaled Composites' SpaceShipOne became the first private vehicle to reach space. These two technologies - private spaceflight and high-altitude balloons - are being combined by hobbyists worldwide to capture photographs from the stratosphere, 30 km into the skies.
We are a team of aerospace enthusiasts who are attempting to photograph the Earth from near space utilizing such high weather altitude balloons.
High altitude weather balloons are able to hoist cameras to near-space (120,000 feet maximum altitude), providing a panoramic view of the Earth that shows its curvature and beautiful views of the landscape. We hope harness this incredible and all-too-rare perspective via cameras positioned on five different balloons. When we are able to recover enough HD photographs from twenty miles above the ground, we will weave them all together to create a book describing the design process, launch, and results. Although we have already launched two balloons (see video), the cameras on board were not suited to the cold and shut off, so we did not recover any photos. With more money, we will have the ability to purchase better cameras as well as more advanced materials. We aim to launch five high altitude balloon flights in the next year with a variety of photography configurations, all of which will be joined together in a single book.
In order to complete our project, we are hoping to acquire the following items:
- 2 GoPro Hero 2 HD Cameras
- 3D casing for GoPro cameras
- 1 Pocketfinder GPS locator with locator service
- 5 helium tank rentals
- 5 600 g weather balloons
- 1 1200 g weather balloon
- Payload container and other supplies (duct tape, string, etc.)
- Parachute(s)
FAQ
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62
Backers
$3,170
pledged of $3,000 goal
0
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Funding period
Jun 28, 2012 -
Jul 18, 2012
(20 days)
- First created · 5 backed
- Has not connected Facebook
Pledge $1 or more
7 backers
Our thanks, and your name in near space! We will send your name to near space on a flash drive that goes up with every high altitude balloon launch.
Estimated delivery: Sep 2012Pledge $10 or more
15 backers
Preview of pictures! We will email you up to five pictures, exclusively for backers, from near space from the first successful launch, plus the reward described above.
Estimated delivery: Oct 2012Pledge $25 or more
20 backers
Lots of pictures! We will send you a full electronic album of images from near space, plus the rewards described above.
Estimated delivery: Oct 2012Pledge $60 or more
5 backers
Hard copy photos and public sponsorship acknowledgement! We will send you a set of five 4x6 prints of the photos taken from near space. We will also make sure to publicly acknowledge you on your Facebook, Twitter or Tumblr page as a sponsor of our project after each successful launch (plus the rewards described above). Shipping is included.
Estimated delivery: Oct 2012Pledge $100 or more
4 backers
Poster of near space image! We will send you a 16x20" poster of a cool image taken from near space, plus the rewards described above. Shipping in the U.S. is included - please add $5 for international shipping.
Estimated delivery: Oct 2012Pledge $175 or more
1 backer
A hard cover notebook! We will send you a hard cover notebook (lined paper inside) with one or more near space images taken from our balloons on the cover (plus the rewards described above at the $1, $10, $25 and $60 levels). Shipping in the U.S. is included - please add $10 for international shipping.
Estimated delivery: Dec 2012Pledge $325 or more
0 backers
A full color copy of the entire book of images! We will send you a hard cover copy of the book of images (plus the rewards described above at the $1, $10, $25 and $60 levels). Shipping in the U.S. is included - please add $10 for international shipping. We will also include your name or corporate logo on the side of the payload for one launch, and take pictures of it from the ground as it heads into the atmosphere.
Estimated delivery: Dec 2012Pledge $525 or more
1 backer Limited (4 of 5 left)
Personalized photo book! Join us for a balloon launch and receive a personalized/custom photography book of photos from your mission (plus the rewards described above at the $1, $10, $25 and $60 levels)! Spend a fun day helping to launch the balloon and cameras, and then come with us as we try to track the balloon and recover the payload. We will customize and send you a book filled with images from your launch. If you are unable or choose not to attend a launch/shoot, we will customize a hard-cover book with your name (or text of your choice) and photograph of your choice on the cover. Shipping in the U.S. is included - please add $10 for international shipping.
Estimated delivery: Dec 2012
