RECOVERY
TREEBOUND
New England is all trees, so it was expected that it would be caught up in a high pine tree. The plan in such a circumstance was to try and get a line around the rigging, and then use that to pull up some strong line, and then pull the spacecraft down with the strong line.
The recovery team had a product, EZ Hang, that seemed to be just the ticket for this situation. So the team traveled up on the morning of 24FEB to try their luck. A local HAM (amateur-radio operator) Mike B, also dropped in, made aware by other HAMs that an APRS-equipped balloon had landed in his neighborhood. Despite several tries using the small lead weight, the spacecraft could not be snagged. Complicating the process was the observation that the line would snag with almost every cast to the extent that it had to be cut and spliced.
Thanks to Mike B for coming out to investigate, and for patiently splicing line in below-freezing weather, as wet snow was falling.
So, the spacecraft remained up in the trees for a full week, while a professional tree climber was sought. Emails to some local tree services with advertised climbers yielded few leads. An email to the New England Tree Climbing Association was very helpful - the president circulated the plea to members, and a generous offer for support came from Mike W, a local tree climber. What luck!
A date was set for Saturday 02MAR to return to the landing site and try again. Arriving, the spacecraft was still up in the trees, though it had gotten snagged on a second branch as well.
The recovery team had a product, EZ Hang, that seemed to be just the ticket for this situation. So the team traveled up on the morning of 24FEB to try their luck. A local HAM (amateur-radio operator) Mike B, also dropped in, made aware by other HAMs that an APRS-equipped balloon had landed in his neighborhood. Despite several tries using the small lead weight, the spacecraft could not be snagged. Complicating the process was the observation that the line would snag with almost every cast to the extent that it had to be cut and spliced.
Thanks to Mike B for coming out to investigate, and for patiently splicing line in below-freezing weather, as wet snow was falling.
So, the spacecraft remained up in the trees for a full week, while a professional tree climber was sought. Emails to some local tree services with advertised climbers yielded few leads. An email to the New England Tree Climbing Association was very helpful - the president circulated the plea to members, and a generous offer for support came from Mike W, a local tree climber. What luck!
A date was set for Saturday 02MAR to return to the landing site and try again. Arriving, the spacecraft was still up in the trees, though it had gotten snagged on a second branch as well.
Turns out, Mike had his own version of the EZ Hang, but on a much bigger scale: the Big Shot Line Launcher. (Gotta get one of these!) It's used to run climbing lines up into trees, much as EZ Hang is used to run antenna cables into trees.
Mike started by trying the same idea - snagging the spacecraft by using the Big Shot to shoot a line up to the tree. Unlike the EZ Hang which used monofilament line, the Big Shot shoots a sturdy Dacron line that can be tugged to break the line free from any tangles aloft. So it was much simpler to shoot a line up into the canopy:
Mike started by trying the same idea - snagging the spacecraft by using the Big Shot to shoot a line up to the tree. Unlike the EZ Hang which used monofilament line, the Big Shot shoots a sturdy Dacron line that can be tugged to break the line free from any tangles aloft. So it was much simpler to shoot a line up into the canopy:
Within minutes, Mike had a line on the spacecraft. With some careful tugs, the spacecraft pulled free.
It was held up primarily by the line that linked balloon to parachute, and now only held the neck of the balloon (after it had been tied and taped at launch):
Result: a successful recovery, albeit one week later. Spacecraft intact, rigging unbroken. Recovery team in good spirits:
Upon return to SpaceCat HQ, the spacecraft was unsealed. The brave near-space explorer, Kittyana, was removed from the capsule, having survived the flight and the one week of isolation in the trees. She was immediately rushed to the recovery room, where she received a full day-spa treatment to return her to full health (seen here undergoing a cucumber facial):
Kittyana has volunteered to head the SpaceCat-2 mission, scheduled for Spring/Summer 2013.