Pictures from JP Aerospace's Oct 6, 2001 Dark Sky Station 2 flight

Saturday morning everyone got up by 4AM for launch preparations. Ten balloons (much larger ones than the ten use last time) were filled and moved into position. All the DSS systems were activated.

Upon liftoff, the huge 58-foot diameter Dark Sky Station gently rose straight up into the sky. But the excitement turned to concern as the balloons started wobbling in all different directions. Some said DSS1 had done that too, but I was on advance recovery last time and wasn't at the site to see the DSS1 launch. But instead of settling down, this wobbling kept getting worse this time. When the first pieces of debris began to fall, some people ran. The station had moved just west of the camp so I stayed where I was alternating between taking pictures and scanning for falling debris that might come toward me. No debris threatened me so I kept taking photos until DSS crashed next to Craig's truck on the west side of the camp.

As JP has told us before, "We always learn something. And usually not what we expected to." The double-arm DSS needs more bracing against sideways motions on the arms, which are a product of the longer arms, larger balloons, or both. Since the single-arm DSS had been so stable, I don't think we could have known this was going to happen without trying it exactly the way we did. We'll be back to fly DSS again.

(1488x992 624K) (500x333 22K)	The balloon fill team meets prior to filling the balloons. The balloons and Helium tanks are set out on the tarps.
(1488x992 616K) (500x333 20K)	Joan announces on the PA system the status of the weather balloon already aloft and the progress on DSS's pre-launch checklist.
(1488x992 443K) (500x333 22K)	Balloons are being attached to DSS for launch.
(1488x992 489K) (500x333 14K)	Liftoff!
(1488x992 466K) (500x333 14K)	Balloons start pulling in different directions. Concern grows as the station fails to stabilize.
(1488x992 443K) (500x333 13K)	The first pieces of debris fall off. The first arm breaks from the core and dangles, popping its balloons.
(1488x992 416K) (500x333 24K)	The safety officer "pushes the button" to cut away the five remaining balloons. The shattered platform begins it plunge back to Earth. At this time, the platform is around 2000-3000 feet in altitude. People on the ground have time to run as they see debris falling.
(1488x992 436K) (500x333 25K)	Platform falling after balloon release.
(1488x992 421K) (500x333 27K)	Platform falling after balloon release.
(1488x992 410K) (500x333 20K)	Platform falling after balloon release.
(1488x992 566K) (500x333 35K)	Platform falling just prior to impact west of the launch site. Everyone is watching, having determined that the places they're standing are indeed safe. Note as you look at this photo that everyone shown in it and many more had spent long hours for months building the full-size Dark Sky Station.
(1488x992 557K) (500x333 35K)	The station is down and most of the remaining debris impacts are imminent. People on the ground who had been standing back are now beginning to run toward the station's impact site.
(1488x992 417K) (500x333 27K)	Five balloons had been cut away and continue to float away.
(1488x992 662K) (500x333 41K)	JP disarms pyrotechnics on the station before letting anyone else approach it.
(1488x992 581K) (500x333 35K)	JP disarms pyrotechnics on the station before letting anyone else approach it. You can see in this photo how close it landed to Craig's truck on the westernmost point of the camp site.
(1488x992 601K) (500x333 32K)	JP disarms pyrotechnics on the station before letting anyone else approach it.

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Copyright (c) 2001 Ian Kluft