Flight Prediction
CUSF Predictor (UK) |
UK flight prediction
software that updates four times a day. You can use your
mouse to select the launch site from the map. Note the
information in the top right box, some of it is very useful.
Remember, the entry values are all in metric. Use
5.5 m This is also known as the HAB Hub predictor. |
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University of South Hampton (UK) | http://astra-planner.soton.ac.uk/ Also known as the ASTRA Planner. This can produce a heat map of landing probabilities. Standard Parameters: Balloon = Hwoyee 1.5kg; Parachute = Spherachute 72", Payload weight = 5.5 kg, Nozzle Lift = 8.2 kg, Train equivalent sphere diameter = 0.2. Weather data = "Online forecast", high quality. Simulation settings = "Standard" then I typically do 30 to 50 simulation runs. | ||
Univ. Wyoming Flight Prediction |
You can get a list of values or a KML file for Google Earth. Think carefully about the time slot you enter. (Read the sentence next to the time entry box.) Gondola mass = 5.4 kg, Chute diameter = 1.83 m, Drag coeff. = 0.7. Probably best to do a KML file then open it in Google Earth. | ||
NOAA | Here is a website with lots of NOAA software including flight prediction and ozonesonde telemetry. Download the software and run it on a PC. You can do a lot of cool things with this, including creating a flight prediction landing heat map. | ||
Flight Prediction Parameters (typical) 5.5 m/s 1200 ft/min
95000 ft = 29000 m |
Duchesne, UT, data |
Delta, UT, data Launch Time = 09:00 MDT, 15:00 UTC (+6) Latitude = 39.3806386 N Longitude = -112.5077147 W Elevation = 4759 ft |
Evanston, WY,
data |
Directions to launch site |
Delta Municipal Airport, UT |
More flight (and helium fill) predictors/information:
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Helium or hydrogen fill calculator.
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General discussion and links from the Element14 STEM community.
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Flight prediction overview by the Global Space Balloon Challenge. (Concepts are great, links are a bit dated.)
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A downloadable flight prediction tool by Allen Franklin Jordan.
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Edge of Space Sciences flight predictions and how they work and are calculated.
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HABHUB Flight tracking introductions: Guide to tracking (UK version) and HAB tracking (Aussie version). These both use the "dl-fldigi" tracking software and require an internet connection. But, it seems like to also does live flight path predictions and ground tracking.
FAA NOTAM look up site.
FAA FAR (Federal Aviation Regulations) Part 101. These are the legal rules on flying balloons and other related objects such as rockets and kites.