Project IRIS – the Near-Space Balloon comes to kwartzlab

The guys from UW’s Comp Eng program brought their fourth-year project by the lab for Tuesday Open night this week. Alex, Miron, and Alex from Project IRIS filled us in on the near-space balloon mission they’re launching in the next few weeks. They brought in the capsule which features a digital camera, lots of great sensors, a GPS, and mechanism to phone home for pickup.

36km straight up, broadcasting thumbnails back to earth via a high-gain antenna, and storing telemetry data and snapping hi-res pics all the way. A high-altitude imaging system. These guys are real makers.

More after the break…

Inside the capsule. All kinds of good stuff, including a big board the team laid out to host and control all the modules. This is so sweet. At the top here you can see the servo and bracket that flips the digital camera out of the capsule.

Capsule lid with light beacons.

Hilarious, and yet tragically necessary, sign of our times.

Thanks a lot, Miron, Alex, and Alex for the rockin’ demo. Here’s hoping for favourable winds and clear skies for launch. Keep us posted.

Happy making,
DW

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