Another weather balloon launch

On October 1, 2005 we tried again, but had many more problems.

This time we decided to use two different size balloons for each camera. We were going to get 100 gram balloons and inflate them so that they could almost lift the camera and then add one or 2 10 gram balloons to add enough lift to make it really fly. When the balloons got high, the 10 grams would pop and the 100 gram balloon would gently sink with the camera.

We used a new supplier, who loaned us a special inflation device to make filling the weather balloons easier, but it didn't fit our helium tank. He was supposed to send 3 100 grams balloon and 6 10 gram balloons, but we got 2 100 grams and 8 ten grams. The 10 gram balloons mostly popped as soon as we inflated them. The hundreds couldn't lift a camera by themselves, so we decided to tie all the unpopped balloon we could together and send one camera. We tied the 2 ten gram balloons that did not pop and the 2 100 gram balloons together and sent them all up, with a single camera. Please send it back if you find it.

Ari holding a camera, vacuum sealed with a note and ready to launch.

Joshua with his friend Kalina, who is pointing at popped balloons.

Inflating the last 100 gram balloon with Helium.

The kids hold down the big balloon as it is tied to the camera.

The adults hold the balloons.

The children hold the balloons with a little help from mom and baby Zachary.

Kalina and Joshua hold on by themselves.

Children let go of balloons.

The balloons rose and headed North North East. Please send back our camera if you find it. We'll send a reward.