Flying Squirrel #3 in a Nutshell

A Quick Users Guide to the Flying Squirrel #3 High Altitude Balloon Project. The mission of the Flying Squirrels is to promote STEM (Science Technology, Engineering & Math) skills in a fun project environment.  All persons interested in Flying Squirrels are welcome to participate in the project. Our third balloon, Flying Squirrel #3 is ready […]

Listening to Flying Squirrel #3 Telemetry from the Greater LA Basin area.

Can you hear me now? I have heard from many interested Ham Radio Operators and SWL enthusiasts that want to monitor the FS3 Balloon telemetry  from their home QTHs located in the greater LA Basin.   This basin is formed by tall mountain ranges, East of the coastal cities, which reach as high as 11,503 ft. […]

FS2 Weather update for May 16th 2018 – Looking GOOD!

Weather forecasts continue to be good for launch on Saturday May 19th.  Winds are predicted to be light. I ran a prediction comparing a theoretical launch today (May 16th) vs our planned launch on the 19th. I combined both predictions into a single graphic below. As you can see the winds today would carry the […]

Flying Squirrel #2 camps out in the back yard for a battery test.

Our eager squirrel was anxious to try out its new insulated hutch in the back yard and test the battery endurance overnight. Powered by a 3.2V 400 mah LiFePO (Lithium iron phosphate) battery, FS2 remained powered up for just under 16 hours. (15 Hrs 50 mins) This is excellent news because the flight hardware will […]

Flying Squirrel #2 – Gets a new “ride”.

While SpaceX’s Starman gets to drive through space in a luxurious Tesla Roadster, Flying Squirrels have to fly in Styrofoam class. The 1” thick Styrofoam enclosure will keep the flight electronics and battery warm in sub zero temperatures that are found at high altitudes. Our intrepid squirrel will also be wearing a stylish pink fiberglass […]