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

Wednesday, September 17

Images of Paragon Astronautics event and equipment displayed with permission.

During Wednesday's launch window, we really thought it would go. The weather seemed great. But there was just enough wind out of the north to push the launch rail elevation too close to vertical and out of the limits on the space launch license. So the launch was scrubbed again.

With the close of Wednesday's launch window, we knew we had only one more chance to launch. Also, this was it for Justin. He had to be back in classes at Diablo Valley College on Thursday.

The rest of us went exploring the west side of Black Rock along Soldier Meadows Road from Hwy 34 to the Mormon Dan playa entrance.

(1536x1024 2019K) (500x333 21K)	Wednesday morning, another balloon launch... and more crossed fingers. Hopefully today would be the day. But you can tell everyone is getting to know this routine.
(1536x1024 2015K) (500x333 24K)	Camp Stratofox on Wednesday morning.
(1536x1024 2023K) (500x333 33K)	Another great breakfast by Sean and Dave.
(1536x1024 2280K) (500x333 32K)	Jeremy sets up his recording equipment, as on previous days.
(1536x1024 1989K) (500x333 23K)	Camp Stratofox viewed looking east. Ken's plane is parked in the background.
(1536x1024 1952K) (500x333 31K)	Jeremy crimps a connector onto some coaxial cable for Paragon.
(1536x1024 1955K) (500x333 21K)	The second balloon is launched Wednesday morning.
(1536x1024 1863K) (500x333 21K)	Final preparations are made at the launch pad. Everything looks like it's a "go".
(1536x1024 1879K) (500x333 24K)	Everyone is hopeful as the countdown progresses.
(1536x1024 1948K) (500x333 22K)	Final preparations are made at the launch pad.
(1536x1024 1821K) (500x333 17K)	There is activity inside and outside the launch control center. Guests and staff whose jobs are done are standing away from the center of the beehive.
(1536x1024 2077K) (500x333 28K)	Jeremy's stereo microphone catches attention every time because it's shaped like a Human head. But if you ever put on headphones and listen to these recordings, you can immediately recognize the quality - it sounds like you're there.
(1536x1024 1764K) (500x333 17K)	A closer look at the head-shaped stereo microphone before the earmuff wind protectors went on it.
(1536x1024 2033K) (500x333 29K)	Jeremy checks out his radio receiver and directional antenna.
(1536x1024 1734K) (500x333 13K)	After Wednesday's launch was scrubbed, the area cleared out rather quickly.
(1536x1024 1921K) (500x333 31K)	Justin waves goodbye. Wednesday was the latest he could arrage with his professors to stay here. He has to be in classes at Diablo Valley College on Thursday.
(1536x1024 1973K) (500x333 24K)	Justin departs for home. The Stratofox team is down to two vehicles, plus Mark's.
(1536x1024 1908K) (500x333 17K)	Wednesday afternoon, we explored Soldier Meadows Rd. We climbed the cinder cone volcano seen ahead here. We don't know the name of the hill.
(1536x1024 2130K) (500x333 33K)	After 4-wheeling half way up, we had to hike the rest of the way. Sean and Rafael are almost at the top in this photo.
(1536x1024 2114K) (500x333 31K)	In the same spot as the previous picture, I've turned around and taken a shot of the place where we parked the vehicles. Dave has climbed the smaller hill on the other side. But it didn't save him any effort because he ended up joining the rest of us on the bigger hill soon afterward.
(1024x1536 2462K) (500x750 97K)	Dave follows the rest of us up the hill.
(1536x1024 2038K) (500x333 31K)	From the top of the hill, this is the view to the east including the Black Rock Desert playa and its trademark triangular "Elephant Back" mountain.
(1536x1024 1982K) (500x333 33K)	From the top of the hill, this is the view to the northeast including the Black Rock Desert playa and the Black Rock Range mountains. The small dark rock on the right is the Black Rock Point volcano.
(1536x1024 2189K) (500x333 36K)	From the top of the hill, this is the view to the north to the Calico Range mountains. The small volcano on the right is Mormon Dan Peak.
(1536x1024 2027K) (500x333 32K)	From the top of the hill, this is the view to the west to the Granite Range mountains. In the foreground is Finley Butte. We guessed that the scattered encampment visible in the mid-background is the Burning Man staging area which has been the subject of great controversy among locals and around Washoe County.
(1536x1024 1821K) (500x333 14K)	Now we've descended from the unnamed hill back to Soldier Meadows Road. Here's another view of the hill we just climbed.
(1536x1024 2117K) (500x333 31K)	North of the unnamed hill we climbed, there was a side road to a lakebed which had evidence of previous use for ranching. The trio of trees here indicate a spring of some kind.
(1536x1024 2284K) (500x333 33K)	We parked near the trees and took a look around.
(1536x1024 2241K) (500x333 41K)	Looking around the small lakebed where ranchers had been.
(1536x1024 2460K) (500x333 41K)	After entering the Black Rock playa at the Mormon Dan entrance, we found this orange cone marking some concrete with a pipe sticking out of it. There was a muddy circle around it. It looked to me like someone had tried pumping water from the lake below the ground surface, and caused the surface to sink.
(1536x1024 1981K) (500x333 14K)	On the drive across the playa back to camp, we're doing about 70-80mph to cover 20 miles. We got back in about 15 minutes with some twilight left.
(1536x1024 2809K) (500x333 32K)	Some of the Paragon and OEX crews came back to the playa in the evening and had a small party.

Back: Tuesday, September 16

Up: Paragon Space Launch 2003

Next: Thursday, September 18

This page is copyright (c) 2003 Ian Kluft. Images of Paragon Astronautics event and equipment displayed with permission.