The document discusses best practices for recovering rocket and balloon payloads, emphasizing the importance of proper tracking systems and preparation for search and recovery. It advises against using cell phones for tracking due to coverage limitations and recommends using amateur radio for better signal transmission. Additionally, it highlights the necessity of establishing ground search teams and obtaining permission for property access before attempting recovery.

1. Best Practices forBest Practices for
Recovering Rocket &Recovering Rocket &
Balloon PayloadsBalloon Payloads
Stratofox Aerospace Tracking TeamStratofox Aerospace Tracking Team
Presented by Ian KluftPresented by Ian Kluft
Space Access Conference 2019Space Access Conference 2019
Fremont, CaliforniaFremont, California

2. Advice from Stratofox Aerospace
Tracking Team
Highlights about Stratofox…
•
Founded in 2002
•
Recovered Civilian Space Xploration Team
(CSXT) Space Shot 2004 rocket (380,000’)
•
Recovered California Near Space Project’s
CNSP-10 balloon from 2011 record 134,545’
•
You build it – we bring it back!

3. Payload recovery challenges
●
Usually the builder of a high altitude balloon or
rocket is too busy to consider search & recovery
●
If left to the last moment, the chance increases of
failure to locate the payload
●
Radios are needed to find the rocket or balloon
●
Minimum 1 team member for tracking & recovery

4. Never use a cell phone for tracking
●
Cell phones have been sources of bad news for
tracking rockets and balloons
●
Consumers are familiar with cell phones
●
But cell phones are not the right tool for this task
●
In order to succeed, it has to land in a cell
coverage area

5. Why cell phones are bad at tracking
●
Cell phones only communicate with cell towers
●
If your payload falls anywhere it can’t reach a
tower, game over
●
When dealing with flight, chances are too high of
coming down in non-coverage areas
●
For tracking and search, get a transmitter you
can receive directly without any infrastructure

6. Tracking transmitter options
●
For amateur payloads, the best option is Amateur
Radio (a.k.a. Ham Radio)
– Higher power available
– Existing APRS repeaters augment reception areas
●
Amateur Radio is not allowed for anything where
the operator receives compensation/paycheck
– Use commercial radios or low-power unlicensed bands

7. Stratofox encourages Ham Radio
●
Automated Position Reporting
System (APRS) is worldwide
●
Good mobile antennas also
help reception of weak signals
– CNSP-10 in 2011: our ground
teams received a signal from
payload on the ground in
Manteca CA which couldn’t
reach APRS network repeaters

8. APRS or HF for worldwide tracking
CNSP-18 in 2012
San Jose CA to Morocco
CNSP-24 circumnavigation of the globe 2015

9. When you find it – can you get to it?
CNSP 08: March 11,
2011 - the balloon
landed on top of the
only tree for ¼ mile
in any direction
It’s more likely than
it may seem. If
there’s any wind, the
trees have more
chance to snag the
payload.

10. Permission to enter private property
●
Ian found CNSP-08 balloon at
the top of tree near road
●
Arranged permission to enter
the property before Ron
arrived with the pole to get it
down

11. Positioning ground search teams
●
Near launch point in
case it doesn’t get far
●
Also near projected
landing area to
receive descent
telemetry
●
Transmitters can fail on
impact – descent data is
crucial to compute
impact point if needed
●
Elevated locations
increase your radio line
of sight for monitoring

12. Remote locations
●
Are you prepared to
travel to unexpected
places the payload
could fall down?
●
Different preparations
for urban, rural,
desert, forest, etc.
●
Where are your
people? Ham Radio is
useful for inter-vehicle
communications to
check in
●
Prepare for self-rescue
capability within your
team in case of trouble

13. Chase plane operations
●
Stratofox has gotten
attention... “Wow!
They have airplanes!”
●
We separate roles of
pilot, navigator and
Ham communications
●
If short on people, the
pilot must still be a
separate role from Ham
Radio ops – or don’t
bother flying
●
More than one plane?
Use altitude separation
for collision avoidance

14. Chase plane operations

15. Worst case… Grid search
●
If the transmitter
dies before you
find it, collect all
the info you have
and keep coming
back starting with
the highest
probability areas 2008: client called for help after payload battery died

16. Worst case… grid search
●
Chances are zero if
you don’t try
●
In this case estimated
highest probability
area turned out to be
close enough
●
More preparation
improves luck

17. Who is your tracking crew?
●
If you’re near
California & Nevada,
or anywhere Stratofox
has members, invite
us to be your tracking
crew, or to add to it
●
Recruit Ham Radio
operators from your
area to establish a
tracking crew
●
Work with your
trackers ASAP on
transmitter plans

18. Questions?