November 16, 2009. On Monday afternoon, almost 24 hours after its launch, cadets in the Stevens Point Composite Squadron recovered the payload of Project Hyperion.  It was located on the eastern edge of the Nicolet National Forest in northern Wisconsin. 

The parachute and styrofoam cooler were retrieved from the top of a tall tree.  The cooler and all its contents were in good shape.  Although the batteries had worn down overnight, the camera suffered no damage.

Almost 4000 digital photographs were downloaded from the camera, two of which are shown here. 

The balloon is estimated to have traveled about 20 miles into the earth’s stratosphere.  The stratosphere consists of a dry layer of air that is six to 31 miles thick at moderate latitudes.  Commercial airliners travel between about four and seven miles high.

The balloon was launched Sunday, November 15 from a park in Cadott.  Cadott is located half way between the equator and the north pole.

While there were many Veterans’ Day presentations this November 11, the ceremony at the Waterloo High School Gymnasium was different. The event to honor our veterans was organized by the Waterloo H.S. Patriot’s Club with the color guard from the 153rd Composite Squadron having the honor of presenting the colors.

Members of the Patriot’s Club interviewed local & visiting veterans, National Guard, Reserve and active duty personnel and introduced each honored guest present. U.S. Representative Tammy Baldwin gave the keynote speech outlining her work for America’s veterans and encouraging all who attended to learn their stories. The Waterloo American Legion Post 233 Honor Guard presented their customary 21-gun salute to conclude the ceremony.

Pictured on the right is the 153rd Composite Squadron Color Guard: C/Amn Zack Jensen, C/TSgt Sean Patchin, Jr., C/MSgt Elizabeth Wussow, C/A1C Mitch Vogel. (Photo taken by Capt Sean Patchin, Sr.)

 Giving the keynote speech is U.S. Representative Tammy Baldwin. (Photo taken by Capt David Vriezen)

Stevens Point, WI.  On Sunday, November 15, cadets of the Stevens Point Composite Squadron successfully launched “Project Hyperion,” their version of a near-space balloon designed to take photographs of the earth’s stratosphere.

The launch took place at 1:35 pm at Cadott, Wisconsin.  Within ten minutes, the balloon had reached an altitude of 9300 feet MSL.  The position was tracked using a GPS-enabled Blackberry® mobile phone, on loan from the mother of project leader C/1Lt Mark Flage. 

The balloon went out of cell phone range until 4:35 pm, and landed at 4:42 pm, having traveled approximately 145 miles across the state to the east.  InstaMapper, a free real-time GPS mapping program, was used to monitor the position of Hyperion.

An on-board Canon Powershot camera was programmed to take a digital photograph every five seconds.  The camera was blanketed with chemical hand-warmers to protect it from the extreme cold temperatures at high altitude.

The idea for project Hyperion originated from Project Icarus, initiated by a group of MIT students who want to share the artistic aspects of science with others.  On September 2, 2009, they launched their weather balloon, and their digital camera documented a five hour flight that reached 93,000 feet (17.5 miles).  It was recovered 20 miles from the launch site.

Project Icarus is spurring many similar launches across the country.   This was the first successful launch of this type in Wisconsin.

While high altitude balloon photography is not new, this type of launch is unique in terms of its low cost, and ease of assembly.  Easily accessible materials were used, including a styrofoam cooler, duct tape, and parachute cord.  The total cost of the project was about $150.  The most expensive item was the weather balloon, purchased for $60. 

The balloon is designed to expand and eventually burst, sending its payload back to earth by means of a small parachute.

 Cadets contacted Minneapolis Center several days prior to launch to make sure they would not interfere with controlled airspace. They learned that Federal Aviation Regulations do not apply to balloons with payloads less than four pounds.  The Hyperion payload was two pounds.

Participating in the launch were C/1Lt Mark Flage, C/MSgt Joel Flage, C/SMSgt Tom Flage, C/AB Daniel Flage, and C/MSgt Alex Menningen.  On hand to witness the launch were Squadron Commander Maj. Virginia Suarino, and Deputy Commander 1Lt. Terese Barta.

The distance and declining daylight prevented recovery of the payload the same day, but recovery efforts will be underway by Monday morning.  More details will follow if successful images are recovered from the payload.

Milwaukee Composite Squadron #5’s color guard led two flights of cadets under the command of C/1st Lt Luke Fenelon and C/Maj Niko Ruud made up of cadets from Milwaukee Composite Squadron #5 and Timmerman Composite Squadron.  The 16 block long parade through downtown Milwaukee featured 181 units.  Blue skies and warm temperatures of nearly 60 degrees made perfect parade weather and brought out dozens of people to line each block of the parade route waving flags and saying “thank you” to the veterans and active duty men and women who passed by.  Five Warbirds flew in formation over the parade route several times.

Below: Color Guard left to right: C/SrA Morgan Murphy, C/CMSgt Jonathan Carballo, C/CMSgt Roman Ruud, and C/MSgt Michael Leggett.

C/2nd Lt Luke Fenelon with two flights

made up of cadets from Milwaukee

Composite Squadron #5 and

Timmerman Composite Squadron.

Try, and try again, and finally Wisconsin Wing succeeded on Wednesday, October 28, 2009 when Governor Jim Doyle signed into law Assembly Bill 132, which requires employers to grant CAP members up to 15 days a year unpaid leave to participate in emergency services operations and prohibits discrimination in employment based on Civil Air Patrol membership.

Twenty-two Wing members and several supportive legislators were on hand to witness AB 132 become 2009 Wisconsin Act 56.

Wisconsin Wing’s first legislative attempt was introduced as Assembly Bill 914 in early March 2008 with five sponsors and a single co-sponsor. It died in committee just 16 days later, but that was before the Sauk County flood in June. By February 2009, Wing members across the state were urging their legislators to support the new initiative, pointing to the 5000 man-hours of disaster relief the Wing had provided to the citizens of Sauk County and the hours lost because some CAP members were refused leave from work.

In early March, AB 132 was introduced with much broader legislative support - 13 sponsors and four co-sponsors. During the ensuing months public hearings and committee hearings were held before the bill was passed by both the Assembly, in May, and the Senate, in September.

Special recognition goes to Lt Col Ron Houser of LaCrosse Composite Squadron, whose initiative, support and tenacity in working with State Senator Dan Kapanke and Representative Michael Huebsch got AB 132 introduced.

Other members of LaCrosse Composite Squadron in attendance at the signing included Lt Col Harold Moe, Lt Col Bill Sorenson, Maj John Clark, Capt Ron Asfoor, C/TSgt Laree Johnsrud, and C/2d Lt Mark Classen. Lt Col Jeff Wiswell, WI Legislative Squadron, coordinated the Wing’s efforts in Madison.

From Wisconsin Wing Headquarters: Col Don Haffner, Lt Col Clarence Peters, Lt Col Larry Ochowski, Lt Col Jeff Thomas, and Capt Rose Kienholz.

Also in attendance were Lt Col Steve Michaels and C/Lt Col Niko Ruud of Milwaukee Squadron 5; Capt Dave Vriezen, C/A1C Edward Skaife, and C/SMSgt Alex Lengyel of 153rd Madison Composite Squadron; Maj Robert Thomas, 1st Lt David Walsh, 1st Lt Pamela Thomas, and C/1st Lt Jon Walsh of Walco Composite Squadron, and C/CMSgt Dan Turkal of Timmerman Composite Squadron.