Spirit of Knoxville
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Spirit of Knoxville is a high altitude balloon project run by University of Tennessee students, with the ultimate goal of successfully sending an unmanned balloon across the Atlantic Ocean. The project is named for Charles Lindbergh's record-breaking Spirit of St. Louis aircraft. As of June 2008, four flights have been made, of which two were intended to cross the Atlantic, a goal which has yet to be achieved.
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[edit] History
The project began in 2005, under the direction of students from the University of Tennessee Amateur Radio Club. The first Spirit of Knoxville "SNOX" designated flight was SNOX 1, reaching an altitude in excess of 11 kilometers. Three further flights followed, the most recent being SNOX IV, launching March 11, 2008.
The latter two missions, SNOX III and IV, were both trans-Atlantic crossing attempts, but ultimately failed. SNOX IV did, however, traverse a significant distance, and came within only a few hundred kilometers of Ireland.
[edit] Overview
The project uses custom-built zero-pressure balloons with ballast dropped during cruise to maintain a constant altitude (although lift provided by solar heating is also used). The electronics comprise a flight computer, radio transmitter, electric heater, and GPS.
Amateur radio operators voluntarily assist in tracking the balloons during their flights.
[edit] External links
[edit] Spirit of Knoxville Official
[edit] Press
- Cross the Atlantic cover story on Metro Pulse
