Pictures from the Paragon space launch attempt, Sept 14-18, 2003

Sunday, September 14

Images of Paragon Astronautics event and equipment displayed with permission.

Sunday was our travel day to Black Rock. I had a problem with my truck enroute when a speed sensor failed while driving through Auburn, turning on warning lights and disabling the speedometer, cruise contral and antilock brakes. I proceeded using my GPS as a speedometer.

Our convoy of 3 4x4 vehicles arrived at Black Rock about the same time as Ben Woodard flew in by plane. Since there were a lot of other people on the playa (mostly cleanup crews from Burning Man which had been held a couple weeks earlier) it was hard for Ben to find the launch site from the air. He landed nearby and we drove up to him to show him where to taxi to the camp.

We set up Camp Stratofox on the east side of the Paragon flight line.

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(1536x1024 1917K) (500x333 20K) Enroute to Black Rock. We're on I-80 in Sacramento. Dave and Sean are leading the convoy. Justin and Jeremy are in the vehicle ahead of us. Rafael and I are at the end of the convoy.

(1536x1024 2192K) (500x333 40K) We've stopped in Applegate to check what's wrong with my truck. We had already stopped in Auburn after my Brake and ABS lights came on, and the speedometer failed. This is the second stop, after my Check Engine light came on. We're checking all the fuses but they're OK. Sean thinks a speed sensor failed. A phone call to my brother, who used to be a mechanic before he went into programming, said that sounds like it would explain the symptoms. (And a note after the fact, they were right.) We proceeded knowing I had to use my GPS as a substitute speedometer.

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(1536x1024 1983K) (500x333 31K) We've stopped in Sparks, Nevada to buy ice and last-minute food items. Justin is opening a bag of ice to put in his cooler. We got a little too much ice and it took a while to stuff it all in the coolers and find room for everything. But we managed to get it all in without wasting anything.

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(1536x1024 1884K) (500x333 22K) On Highway 447 enroute to Black Rock.

(1536x1024 1602K) (500x333 18K) We got on the playa just after Ben landed his Mooney M20C there. After talking with a helpful local pilot Ken at the Empire Airport, we had radioed the playa conditions to Ben when he flew over us. Ben parked his plane a bit away from the flight line but we decided that was a good spot anyway and set up our camp next to the plane. In the photo, Justin is getting out of his vehicle.

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(1536x1024 2083K) (500x333 25K) Dave and Sean are getting out of Dave's vehicle.

(1536x1024 1744K) (500x333 27K) Team Stratofox has assembled. Left to right in the photo: Ben Woodard KG6FNK, Sean Lynch KG6CVV, Rafael Skodlar KC6LBJ, Justin Rocha KG6SGU, Dave Mastin KG6FNL. Not shown: Jeremy Cooper KE6JJJ (behind vehicles) and Ian Kluft KO6YQ (taking the picture).

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(1536x1024 2012K) (500x333 24K) Team Stratofox has assembled.

(1536x1024 2112K) (500x333 29K) Ben uses rebar that I brought to tie down his plane. This rebar is from another event that's part of sbay.org - the Linux Picnic.

(1536x1024 2197K) (500x333 38K) Camp Stratofox begins to take shape.

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(1024x1536 1801K) (500x750 48K) Sunday evening, Ian uses binoculars to follow the weather balloon during the countdown rehearsal. (photo by Jeremy Cooper KE6JJJ ???... I think)

(1536x1024 1654K) (500x333 24K) Sunday evening at Camp Stratofox. Most of the tents are up, except for my personal tent. The big tent is for food storage and the HF Ham Radio station.

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(1536x1024 2229K) (500x333 39K) Sunday evening dinner at Camp Stratofox. Sean and Dave grilled some salmon for us. Mmmm... tasty! (photo by Jeremy Cooper KE6JJJ)

(1536x1024 1856K) (500x333 27K) The group puts up the HF mast and G5RV wire antenna in the dark on Sunday evening.

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(1536x1024 2085K) (500x333 25K) The mast is now being held up by the lower guy lines. But we're putting a second set up to hold it in the likely high winds we'll get there.

Back: XPRS II Pictures Up: Paragon Space Launch 2003 Next: Monday, September 15

(1536x1024 1917K) (500x333 20K)	Enroute to Black Rock. We're on I-80 in Sacramento. Dave and Sean are leading the convoy. Justin and Jeremy are in the vehicle ahead of us. Rafael and I are at the end of the convoy.
(1536x1024 2192K) (500x333 40K)	We've stopped in Applegate to check what's wrong with my truck. We had already stopped in Auburn after my Brake and ABS lights came on, and the speedometer failed. This is the second stop, after my Check Engine light came on. We're checking all the fuses but they're OK. Sean thinks a speed sensor failed. A phone call to my brother, who used to be a mechanic before he went into programming, said that sounds like it would explain the symptoms. (And a note after the fact, they were right.) We proceeded knowing I had to use my GPS as a substitute speedometer.
(1536x1024 1983K) (500x333 31K)	We've stopped in Sparks, Nevada to buy ice and last-minute food items. Justin is opening a bag of ice to put in his cooler. We got a little too much ice and it took a while to stuff it all in the coolers and find room for everything. But we managed to get it all in without wasting anything.
(1536x1024 1884K) (500x333 22K)	On Highway 447 enroute to Black Rock.
(1536x1024 1602K) (500x333 18K)	We got on the playa just after Ben landed his Mooney M20C there. After talking with a helpful local pilot Ken at the Empire Airport, we had radioed the playa conditions to Ben when he flew over us. Ben parked his plane a bit away from the flight line but we decided that was a good spot anyway and set up our camp next to the plane. In the photo, Justin is getting out of his vehicle.
(1536x1024 2083K) (500x333 25K)	Dave and Sean are getting out of Dave's vehicle.
(1536x1024 1744K) (500x333 27K)	Team Stratofox has assembled. Left to right in the photo: Ben Woodard KG6FNK, Sean Lynch KG6CVV, Rafael Skodlar KC6LBJ, Justin Rocha KG6SGU, Dave Mastin KG6FNL. Not shown: Jeremy Cooper KE6JJJ (behind vehicles) and Ian Kluft KO6YQ (taking the picture).
(1536x1024 2012K) (500x333 24K)	Team Stratofox has assembled.
(1536x1024 2112K) (500x333 29K)	Ben uses rebar that I brought to tie down his plane. This rebar is from another event that's part of sbay.org - the Linux Picnic.
(1536x1024 2197K) (500x333 38K)	Camp Stratofox begins to take shape.
(1024x1536 1801K) (500x750 48K)	Sunday evening, Ian uses binoculars to follow the weather balloon during the countdown rehearsal. (photo by Jeremy Cooper KE6JJJ ???... I think)
(1536x1024 1654K) (500x333 24K)	Sunday evening at Camp Stratofox. Most of the tents are up, except for my personal tent. The big tent is for food storage and the HF Ham Radio station.
(1536x1024 2229K) (500x333 39K)	Sunday evening dinner at Camp Stratofox. Sean and Dave grilled some salmon for us. Mmmm... tasty! (photo by Jeremy Cooper KE6JJJ)
(1536x1024 1856K) (500x333 27K)	The group puts up the HF mast and G5RV wire antenna in the dark on Sunday evening.
(1536x1024 2085K) (500x333 25K)	The mast is now being held up by the lower guy lines. But we're putting a second set up to hold it in the likely high winds we'll get there.