Payload #2: Air Photos
Images were taken at 9 minute intervals. Low level winds took the balloon south-west just after launch, but upper level winds brought it back overhead for the first photo. The balloon continued on this north-east track for the rest of the mission. The strange object in the upper right hand corner of the photos is an electronic speaker that came loose and hung by its wires during the flight. A switch can also be seen hanging by its wires in the lower right hand corner in some photos.
Approx. 8 minutes after launch. The red building near top center was our launch site.
The balloon drifts over the Red River of the North.
The gondola swung back and forth after release, so not all picutres were taken straight down.
This is the last image taken during ascent. The balloon burst shortly after this photo was taken, and the payload began its descent back to earth. New photogrametric claculations put the altitude at somewhere around 83,000 feet.
Balloon fragments still attached to the parachute line caused the gondola to spin rather wildly during descent. This caused the bluring effect on the photos.
This is where the camera malfunctioned and didn't advance the film far enough. If this was due to G forces induced by the spin, the effects of cold and low pressure at high altitude, or some other factor is unknown at this time.
This is the last shot the camera took before touchdown. As you can see by the angle, not only is the gondola spinning during descent, but it it also wobbled back and forth.