Picture Gallery for Sun 2005-06-12 15:01:46 UTC

	Mark goes up to try to dry off the mirror by blowing some dry nitrogen on it.
	Mark goes up to try to dry off the mirror by blowing some dry nitrogen on it.
	Mark goes up to try to dry off the mirror by blowing some dry nitrogen on it. This didn't work. A towel on the end of a stick did.
	Going out to the flightline.
	Going out to the flightline.
	Gaelen documents the launch. Note the avant-garde toque/hard-hat combo.
	Hercules rolling out to the flightline.
	Hercules rolling out to the flightline.
	The helium tankers and spool set out on one of the fingers with the ground cloths laid out.
	Hercules rolling out to the flightline.
	Hercules rolling out to the flightline.
	The helium tankers, spool and balloon crate.
	The surprise rain cloud receding over the horizon.
	The surprise rain cloud receding over the horizon. This was the last bit of bad weather we've seen since it left. Sunday has had gorgeous weather.
	Hercules rolling out to the flightline.
	The parachute waiting for roll-out.
	Hercules backing into position.
	Looking down the flightline.
	Derek at the reins.
	Derek at the reins.
	Mark explains something about BLAST to the Genie operator.
	BLAST on the flightline.
	BLAST on the flightline.
	The flightline.
	A mark to tell the riggers where to put the spool on one of the other fingers.
	Opening up the balloon crate: a good omen.
	Opening up the balloon crate: a good omen.
	Looking down the spool from the flightline.
	One of the helium tankers plumbed and ready for inflation.
	Waiting.
	Hercules's parking spot. You'll note that the surveying was spot on.
	Mark and Marie balance the outer frame by moving lead bricks around.
	The UTP (Universal Termination Package) which is responsible for releasing the parachute from the gondola at the Right Time. There's another UTP between the parachute and the balloon.
	UTP and parachute awaiting rollout.
	Releasing some ballast to compensate for the extra balancing brick that Mark and Marie added.
	Four cameras film the attachment of the parachute to the ladder. If there's anything this flight is not, it's under documented.
	Getting ready to roll out.
	A helicopter circles the pad.
	A helicopter circles the pad.
	On the flightline.
	The valves for the balloon fill lines.
	Getting ready to roll out.
	Rolling out.
	Rolling out.
	Rolling out the parachute.
	Attaching the UTP.
	Hanging on the launch vehicle.
	Barth, Jeff, Enzo, and David watch a pie ball go up.
	The flightline.
	Erich and Victor discuss wind conditions. Victor is holding onto two pie balls at different altitudes. The two lines being at different angles means that the winds are different are at different velocities.
	The release cord.
	Mark removes the pump hose, the last thing we scientists have to do before launch.
	Waiting for go on inflation.
	Laying out the fill lines.
	Laying out the fill lines.
	Ready for inflation.
	Ready for inflation.
	Inflation starts.
	Inflation starts. The top of the balloon here is held down, for the first part of the fill.
	The top of the balloon released, it now pops up vertically.
	Inflation continues.
	Inflation.
	Ready for launch.
	Inflation.
	Inflation.
	Ready for launch.
	Turning the gondola towards the sun to help charge the batteries.
	Inflation.
	Inflation.
	Inflation. Inflation took a good hour.
	The view from the deck of Hercules. You can make out the flightline through the cab windows.
	Nearing the end of inflation.
	Gaelen shoots some film.
	Nearing the end of inflation. Note the tension on the flight train which has lifted the parachute off the ground. As the balloon is filled, it's slowly winched up around the spool.
	David with the telescope.
	Nearing the end of inflation.
	Marie steadies the gondola.
	Flightline.
	Launch video. Comparing this to the Fort Sumner launch, you'll notice the launch vehicle moves around a fair bit. This was a fairly typical launch.
	BLAST ascends. The balloon looks almost empty here. As it rises and the pressure drops, the balloon will fill out. The bottom of the balloon is at the top of the (orange) parachute.
	BLAST ascends.
	Hercules post-launch.
	BLAST ascends. The white dot is one of the pie balls.
	BLAST ascends. The white dot is one of the pie balls.
	Returning to the high-bay after a successful launch.
	BLAST ascends. The white dot is one of the pie balls.
	BLAST at 24 kilometres. The balloon is still mostly uninflated.
	BLAST at float. Believe it or not, the balloon's in this picture. Try to find it. (Hint: it's near the centre of the picture.)