The Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science's (EECS) Black Knight Satellite capstone team in conjunction with the West Point Astronomy Club launched their payload from a high-altitude balloon on April 21, 2018 from General George Clinton Park in Bainbridge, NY. The purpose of the launch was to verify the functionality of both the small satellite equipment payload and the West Point W2KGY Ground Station for use in future small satellite space missions. The payload, consisting of a Geiger Counter and small satellite power and communications subsystems, reached a max altitude of 98,835 feet over Shenandoah, NY before breaking The payload then parachuted back to Earth and travelled south east before landing in the backyard of a residence in Easton, CT for a total distance of 132 miles from the launch point. The fastest recorded balloon speed was 140 MPH while it transited through the jet stream. To track the location, speed, and altitude of the balloon during flight, the team relied on amateur radio technology called Automatic Position Reporting System (APRS) that allowed the balloon to transmit its location on 144.39MHz using the Cadet Amateur Radio Club's callsign W2KGY. The capstone team, using APRS, was then able to chase after the balloon and pinpoint its location to a tree in the backyard of a residence. After securing permission from the land owner to retrieve the balloon, the team recovered the payload and then discussed with the residents and their grandkids the scientific purpose of the balloon launch. The Black Knight Satellite capstone team is an interdisciplinary team consisting of cadets majoring in electrical engineering, computer science, and engineering management.
Photo: MAJ Sherburne and Cadets Johnson ’18, Kunze ’18, Perry ’18, and Pritchard ’18 pose with their recovered payload 2018 | 3D visualization of flight path of both the Astronomy Club balloon (top) and Black Knight Satellite balloon (bottom)