Pictures from JP Aerospace's May 11, 2002 "Away 9" flight

JP Aerospace "Away 9" Flight Video - Saturday, May 11, 2002

snapshots from video by JP Aerospace
text by Ian Kluft

These are captured frames from the camcorder video retrieved from JP Aerospace's "Away 9" high-altitude balloon test flight.

These pictures serve to point out that you don't have to be NASA to get pictures of the curvature of the Earth.

Credit goes to Adam Beberg for digitizing the video.

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(352x240 97K) (500x341 158K) Just after liftoff, the on board camcorder gets a shot of the crew's vehicles and campsites.

(352x240 73K) (500x341 118K) The Black Rock Desert playa (dry lakebed), looking eastward.

(352x240 72K) (500x341 115K) Now looking southeast along the west side of the playa. The 12-mile entrance to the playa is in the bay on the right.

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(352x240 81K) (500x341 129K) A more elevated view of the 12-mile entrance. Nevada State Route 34 can be seen coming very close to the lakebed at the point of the entrance.

(352x240 73K) (500x341 118K) Still climbing... a view of the playa facing north toward Black Rock Point. The parallel dark streaks are probably the edges of a muddy area in center of the playa.

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(352x240 83K) (500x341 135K) Looking southward to the end of the Black Rock Desert. The peninsula jutting from right to left into the lakebed is where the town of Gerlach is located.

(352x240 71K) (500x341 117K) Looking northward, but from an ever-higher altitude. The balloon now has enough altitude to see over the Black Rock Range to the continuation of the playa on the other side.

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(352x240 77K) (500x341 125K) Another northward view of the Black Rock Desert and Range. Higher altitude but same direction as previous snapshot.

(352x240 65K) (500x341 105K) Another northward view of the Black Rock Desert and Range. Higher altitude but same direction as previous snapshot.

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(352x240 69K) (500x341 112K) Winnemucca Dry Lake on the left and Pyramid Lake on the right.

(352x240 75K) (500x341 123K) Winnemucca Dry Lake on the left and Pyramid Lake on the right. Higher altitude but same direction as previous snapshot.

(352x240 72K) (500x341 117K) Facing north looking down at the Black Rock Desert. The Black Rock Range (mountains) can be seen now like a peninsula jutting from left to right into the lakebed.

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(352x240 74K) (500x341 120K) Facing north looking down at the Black Rock Desert. Higher altitude but same direction as previous snapshot.

(352x240 70K) (500x341 111K) A view of the lower playa at Black Rock.

(352x240 79K) (500x341 129K) Pyramid Lake, Nevada is in the foreground. The line further behind it is snow and clouds at the top of the Sierra Nevada mountains in California.

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(352x240 67K) (500x341 107K) The two parallel lines of clouds are over mountain ranges just inside California in Modoc County. Surprise Valley (which is on the Nevada border) is just to the right of them. The triangular white spec on the left side is 14,162' Mt Shasta in Siskiyou County, California.

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(352x240 75K) (500x341 121K) Winnemucca Dry Lake is on the left and Pyramid Lake in the center. The long line of clouds is over the tops of the Sierra Nevada mountains.

(352x240 66K) (500x341 106K) This view looks to the east. Though there are no well-known landmarks to point out, the contrast between the bright scattered clouds, the curvature of the Earth and the dark sky above was worth a look.

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(352x240 72K) (500x341 118K) This view faces westward. Visible landmarks from left to right... The grey splotch on the left foreground is Honey Lake, California, site of the Sierra Army Depot in Lassen County, California. The white spot near the center of the frame is 10,457' Mt Lassen and surrounding snow and cloud covered peaks in Shasta County. On the far right in the distance, the triangluar white spot is 14,162' Mt Shasta in Siskiyou County. Just above the line between Mt Lassen and Mt Shasta, a small light streak is probably Lake Shasta, about 150 miles to the west. For a sense of scale, Mt Shasta is 80 miles northwest of Mt Lassen.

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(352x240 67K) (500x341 109K) This view faces west southwest. Honey Lake is now near the lower center of the picture and Mt Lassen is on the right. The small dry lakebed on the left is in Nevada in the northern portion of the Paiute Indian Reservation. The California-Nevada border runs horizontally through the picture between the small dry lakebed and Honey Lake.

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(352x240 77K) (500x341 125K) This view faces southwest. Honey Lake has now rotated to the right side of the frame. Pyramid Lake is in the left foreground. Behind it is the row of clouds over the tops of the Sierra Nevada mountains.

(352x240 61K) (500x341 97K) Looking down at the northern Black Rock Desert, Nevada from about 90,000'. The Black Rock Range mountains can be seen extending like a peninsula 20 miles into the surrounding lakebed. The view looks northward toward the Oregon/Idaho border.

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(352x240 81K) (500x341 131K) Looking down from about 90,000' at the southern Black Rock Desert (left to bottom of the frame) and the Smoke Creek Desert (top), both in Nevada. The town of Gerlach is just below the center of the frame in the peninsula in the Black Rock lakebed.

(352x240 59K) (500x341 94K) The Black Rock Desert playa. The instrument frame is now falling back to Earth.

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(352x240 76K) (500x341 121K) The Black Rock Desert playa, looking westward. The instrument frame is now falling 10 miles southeast of Trego.

(352x240 51K) (500x341 79K) As the instrument frame falls, the road to Trego is visible below.

(352x240 69K) (500x341 110K) The road to Trego is conveniently close to where the instrument package is falling. Some spots in the photo are condensation as the lens instantly fogged up when reaching the warmer temperatures of the lower atmosphere.

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(352x240 61K) (500x341 97K) The road to Trego now goes off to the horizon as the instrument frame falls.

(352x240 86K) (500x341 140K) Almost at impact, the desert sagebrush now comes clearly into view.

(352x240 64K) (500x341 102K) The instrument frame came to rest with the camera viewing sideways. The brown lines on the left side of the frame is actually the Selenite Range Mountains to the west. The sideways position of the camcorder will become more obvious in the next two photos.

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(352x240 77K) (500x341 125K) 20 minutes after the instrument frame's landing, Aubrey Powell and I arrive at the scene. The tracking and recovery teams document the site before moving anything. In this photo, I'm starting on documenting the landing site by taking a photo. I was unaware that it was videotaping me while I was photographing it.

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(352x240 77K) (500x341 123K) Aubrey also gets in the video as he takes pictures of the landing site.

Back to the Away 9 Pictures

(352x240 97K) (500x341 158K)	Just after liftoff, the on board camcorder gets a shot of the crew's vehicles and campsites.
(352x240 73K) (500x341 118K)	The Black Rock Desert playa (dry lakebed), looking eastward.
(352x240 72K) (500x341 115K)	Now looking southeast along the west side of the playa. The 12-mile entrance to the playa is in the bay on the right.
(352x240 81K) (500x341 129K)	A more elevated view of the 12-mile entrance. Nevada State Route 34 can be seen coming very close to the lakebed at the point of the entrance.
(352x240 73K) (500x341 118K)	Still climbing... a view of the playa facing north toward Black Rock Point. The parallel dark streaks are probably the edges of a muddy area in center of the playa.
(352x240 83K) (500x341 135K)	Looking southward to the end of the Black Rock Desert. The peninsula jutting from right to left into the lakebed is where the town of Gerlach is located.
(352x240 71K) (500x341 117K)	Looking northward, but from an ever-higher altitude. The balloon now has enough altitude to see over the Black Rock Range to the continuation of the playa on the other side.
(352x240 77K) (500x341 125K)	Another northward view of the Black Rock Desert and Range. Higher altitude but same direction as previous snapshot.
(352x240 65K) (500x341 105K)	Another northward view of the Black Rock Desert and Range. Higher altitude but same direction as previous snapshot.
(352x240 69K) (500x341 112K)	Winnemucca Dry Lake on the left and Pyramid Lake on the right.
(352x240 75K) (500x341 123K)	Winnemucca Dry Lake on the left and Pyramid Lake on the right. Higher altitude but same direction as previous snapshot.
(352x240 72K) (500x341 117K)	Facing north looking down at the Black Rock Desert. The Black Rock Range (mountains) can be seen now like a peninsula jutting from left to right into the lakebed.
(352x240 74K) (500x341 120K)	Facing north looking down at the Black Rock Desert. Higher altitude but same direction as previous snapshot.
(352x240 70K) (500x341 111K)	A view of the lower playa at Black Rock.
(352x240 79K) (500x341 129K)	Pyramid Lake, Nevada is in the foreground. The line further behind it is snow and clouds at the top of the Sierra Nevada mountains in California.
(352x240 67K) (500x341 107K)	The two parallel lines of clouds are over mountain ranges just inside California in Modoc County. Surprise Valley (which is on the Nevada border) is just to the right of them. The triangular white spec on the left side is 14,162' Mt Shasta in Siskiyou County, California.
(352x240 75K) (500x341 121K)	Winnemucca Dry Lake is on the left and Pyramid Lake in the center. The long line of clouds is over the tops of the Sierra Nevada mountains.
(352x240 66K) (500x341 106K)	This view looks to the east. Though there are no well-known landmarks to point out, the contrast between the bright scattered clouds, the curvature of the Earth and the dark sky above was worth a look.
(352x240 72K) (500x341 118K)	This view faces westward. Visible landmarks from left to right... The grey splotch on the left foreground is Honey Lake, California, site of the Sierra Army Depot in Lassen County, California. The white spot near the center of the frame is 10,457' Mt Lassen and surrounding snow and cloud covered peaks in Shasta County. On the far right in the distance, the triangluar white spot is 14,162' Mt Shasta in Siskiyou County. Just above the line between Mt Lassen and Mt Shasta, a small light streak is probably Lake Shasta, about 150 miles to the west. For a sense of scale, Mt Shasta is 80 miles northwest of Mt Lassen.
(352x240 67K) (500x341 109K)	This view faces west southwest. Honey Lake is now near the lower center of the picture and Mt Lassen is on the right. The small dry lakebed on the left is in Nevada in the northern portion of the Paiute Indian Reservation. The California-Nevada border runs horizontally through the picture between the small dry lakebed and Honey Lake.
(352x240 77K) (500x341 125K)	This view faces southwest. Honey Lake has now rotated to the right side of the frame. Pyramid Lake is in the left foreground. Behind it is the row of clouds over the tops of the Sierra Nevada mountains.
(352x240 61K) (500x341 97K)	Looking down at the northern Black Rock Desert, Nevada from about 90,000'. The Black Rock Range mountains can be seen extending like a peninsula 20 miles into the surrounding lakebed. The view looks northward toward the Oregon/Idaho border.
(352x240 81K) (500x341 131K)	Looking down from about 90,000' at the southern Black Rock Desert (left to bottom of the frame) and the Smoke Creek Desert (top), both in Nevada. The town of Gerlach is just below the center of the frame in the peninsula in the Black Rock lakebed.
(352x240 59K) (500x341 94K)	The Black Rock Desert playa. The instrument frame is now falling back to Earth.
(352x240 76K) (500x341 121K)	The Black Rock Desert playa, looking westward. The instrument frame is now falling 10 miles southeast of Trego.
(352x240 51K) (500x341 79K)	As the instrument frame falls, the road to Trego is visible below.
(352x240 69K) (500x341 110K)	The road to Trego is conveniently close to where the instrument package is falling. Some spots in the photo are condensation as the lens instantly fogged up when reaching the warmer temperatures of the lower atmosphere.
(352x240 61K) (500x341 97K)	The road to Trego now goes off to the horizon as the instrument frame falls.
(352x240 86K) (500x341 140K)	Almost at impact, the desert sagebrush now comes clearly into view.
(352x240 64K) (500x341 102K)	The instrument frame came to rest with the camera viewing sideways. The brown lines on the left side of the frame is actually the Selenite Range Mountains to the west. The sideways position of the camcorder will become more obvious in the next two photos.
(352x240 77K) (500x341 125K)	20 minutes after the instrument frame's landing, Aubrey Powell and I arrive at the scene. The tracking and recovery teams document the site before moving anything. In this photo, I'm starting on documenting the landing site by taking a photo. I was unaware that it was videotaping me while I was photographing it.
(352x240 77K) (500x341 123K)	Aubrey also gets in the video as he takes pictures of the landing site.