Views from space with a point and shoot and helium

[Juanito200]

Best use for a point and shoot. I saw this on the web tonight. Very cool $600 and he's gotten views from the stratosphere. Well done
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032619/vp= ... &#36043526

[KevinBarrett]

That was awe inspiring. Now where do I buy a weather balloon?

[Greg Beetham]

Great results from that space exploration on the cheap, but I've got this weird premonition of 747's weaving and dodging through a sky dotted with ascending weather balloons
Greg

[Ewannawe]

Great stuff, very innovative. I expect it's only a matter of time before the first ufos start cropping up in them as more and more fly their 100$ cameras towards the stratosphere.

[Birma]

Cool story John. I guess we need a new forum on the board for "pictures from space" .

[Juanito200]

Well, I just downloaded the FAA regulations on unmanned, un tethered balloons, and looked for balloon suppliers. I've got to look for a gps to do it, but I may just give it a try.

[Ewannawe]

Retrieving your camera could be quite expensive I suppose, depending on where it comes down. In the process of rising that high the balloon must come across some pretty strong winds, could end up anywhere, or even come down in the ocean.

[Greg Beetham]

What'd be good would be a way of getting the camera to send the images back to your computer from 25 miles up...just perchance you are unable to retrieve the camera...hmm poor old baloon stands no chance at all at that altitude, blasted by the sun's uv on one side, frozen stiff on the other, static discharge..exposed to micrometeorites from space, ever increasing pressure differential....
Greg

[Juanito200]

The guy used some kind of GPS to track it, but from what I can see, he just retrieved the camera and took out the memory card. Ewan, the winds aloft can get very strong >100 mph in the jetstream. I don't know how far from the launch area he recovered the box with the camera in it. As far as protection, I saw on chap did it and put the camera and other equipment in an insulated soft sided lunch box! A large model rocket parachute in between the balloon and box brought it down. We'll see. I have a co-worker that lives in a small town north of me, and she knows most of the farmers in the area (and it is out of the Dallas area Air Traffic Control area). If I do it, that will be my launch area. John
P.S. Here is a better link from a project that some guys from M.I.T did. I'm gonna look at that balloon tracking website for landing info. John http://space.1337arts.com/