Pictures from JP Aerospace's May 22-23 Space Launch Attempt
Sunday, May 23 Pictures

Participants' Amateur Radio callsigns are noted where I knew of them.

	Sunday at dawn - balloons are being filled for another attempt.
	At sunrise, the balloon-filling is progressing well.
	An extra balloon stands straight up, indicating calm air.
	Balloons are being readied for launch. The long shadows indicate that this part is on schedule just after sunrise.
	The third (top) tier of balloons is up in position.
	This is the first (bottom) tier of balloons going up.
	The first seven of nine balloons are up.
	All nine balloons are up.
	The balloon stack is being winched up slowly in preparation for launch.
	6:45AM: Liftoff as the launch box leaves the ground...
	...and floats further up.
	A view of the balloons as they travel upward.
	A view of the whole balloon/rocket stack.
	The balloon/rocket stack, now farther away and in full zoom for the camera.
	Still farther way, getting smaller even in zoom.
	David Brock KF6CXT adjusts the 70cm Stacked Yagi antennas for video reception from the launch box.
	Everyone watches the downlinked telemetry come in. The launch box's GPS receiver has acquired 12 satellites!
	Everyone crowds around to see the first video pictures from the launch box.
	More data comes in, higher altitude each time.
	More video.
	More video.
	Al Differ KF6FPX aims the 2m Stacked Yagi antennas in preparation for receiving rocket data in flight.
	Ky Michaelson watches the data come in.
	JP announces that the vehicle is drifting to the edge of the launch permit area and will have to be launched immediately from a lower altitude in order to launch at all. This makes the launch a "high altitude test" rather than a space launch attempt. If the rocket continued as it was, they estimated it would have been over California before it reached the 100,000 foot launch altitude.
	The rocket launch has been confirmed. In-flight data from the rocket is being examined. CNN aims their camera at the consoles (center).

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Copyright (c) 1999 Ian Kluft