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Goddard Space Flight Center

Astrophysics Science Division | Sciences and Exploration

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Field Pictures
from 2001 Campaign



Field crew
The field crew: (left to right) standing are Jeff Houser, Eric Christian, Scott Murphy, Steve Holder, Eugene Loh, and seated are Bob Smith and Louis Barbier
Instrument assembly
Proceeding with instrument assembly
Ayers rock
Ayers Rock (Uluru) - only place west of Alice Springs where we CAN'T land!
Sydney Opera House
Sydney Opera House - stopping off point coming and going to the States
Hang test
NIGHTGLOW hang test outside assembly building
Fierce croc
Fierce Australian croc attacking NIGHTGLOW
NIGHTGLOW at night
View of the instrument at night, just prior to a midnight pickup - first step in the launch process
Eric and NIGHTGLOW
Eric Christian standing in front of the instrument just outside on a not too windy day
Alice Springs sign
Marker on the road into town from the airport
Todd River
The famous Todd River - obviously lacking water on this day, but running furiously a week later!
Camel rides
A group of tourists ride on camels across the Todd River
Aussie vehicle
An authentic Aussie recovery vehicle - eat your heart out, Mel Gibson!
NIGHTGLOW on the move
NIGHTGLOW on her way out to the runway for a launch simulation
Stephen Holder
Stephen Holder, the lead NIGHTGLOW electronics technician
Aussie lizard
Not a croc, but an Aussie lizard. Not as fierce as the Texas rattler, but cuter.
Crane test
Crane test
ULDB inflation
ULDB inflation - The small balloon over the pumpkin balloon is the tow balloon, used to lift the CAP (Commandable Apex Package) of the pumpkin balloon. The tow balloon is cut away once the main balloon is inflated a bit.
ULDB inflation
ULDB inflation
Close-up of ULDB inflation
Close-up of ULDB inflation
NIGHTGLOW immediately after launch
NIGHTGLOW immediately after launch



July 2000 Test Launch


Shown below are nine different images from the fieldtrip to Palestine, Texas. Our test flight launched on July 5, 2000 and we had an 8 hour flight.

Instrument assembly
Jeffry McDonald and Scott Murphy working on the instrument assembly in the hangar.
Instrument running at night - IR filter
The instrument running at night -- photo taken with an IR filter
Instrument running at night
The instrument running at night
NIGHTGLOW on launch vehicle
NIGHTGLOW hanging from "Tiny Tim" - the launch vehicle used in Palestine. For scale, Tiny Tim's wheels are just over 8 feet tall.
Flight trajectory on Texas map
The flight trajectory is shown - we flew west from Palestine and landed near the small (very small) town of Stiles, Texas.
NIGHTGLOW right after launch
NIGHTGLOW right after launch as it is ascending
NIGHTGLOW right after launch
NIGHTGLOW right after launch as it is ascending
NIGHTGLOW on its side at landing site
NIGHTGLOW on its side at landing site
NIGHTGLOW on truck after recovery
NIGHTGLOW on the truck as it came back from Stiles
Rattlesnake with rabbit meal
One of the many rattlesnakes near the landing site (with rabbit dinner)

More pictures from the test launch

Sun over NIGHTGLOW
NIGHTGLOW payload on Tiny Tim
NIGHTGLOW on the ground -- recovery
Roy arrives at the payload recovery site
Release from truck
NIGHTGLOW on the launch vehicle just prior to spool release
NIGHTGLOW on Tiny Tim
Another view of NIGHTGLOW on Tiny Tim
NIGHTGLOW high in the sky
Ascent, just after launch



Other 2000 Pictures

NIGHTGLOW assembly
NIGHTGLOW assembly
NIGHTGLOW outside
NIGHTGLOW with solar panels in its long duration balloon configuration, in Palestine before shipping to Australia
This file was last modified 31-Jul-2003