BalloonSat Airframe Kit
The major difficulty in assemblying a BalloonSat airframe is locating a wide selection of useful parts. There are many ways to make a BalloonSat airframe and the parts in the NearSys BalloonSat Airframe kit were selected over many years of experience in building BalloonSats.
Parts included in the BalloonSat Airframe kit
- Six sheets of 1/2" thick Styrofoam (6" by 6")
- One sheet of 10 mm thick cellfoam (6" by 6")
- One sheet of 5 mm thick cellfoam (6" by 6")
- One sheet 3/16" correplast (6" by 6")
- One sheet 10, 20, and 40 mil styrene (6" by 6")
- One sheet funky foam (8-1/2" by 5-1/2")
- One roll of aluminum duct tape (6' long)
- Four long square tubes (7" long and 3/16" square)
- Two wooden dowels (9" long and 3/16" diameter)
- Four 2-56 bolts (3/4" long)
- Four 2-56 nylock
- Wedding veil material (1 yard)
- Eight 4-40 pan head bolts (3/4" long)
- Eleven 4-40 nylock
- Three 4-40 flat head bolts (3/8" long)
- One 1/4-20 nylon bolt (3/4")
- One strip of space blanket (14" wide)
- Two long, thin popsickle sticks
- One inch thick foam rubber (4" by 4")
- Ten small zip ties
- One roll of colored packaging tape
- Styrofoam (non-biodegradable) peanuts (approx. 1/4 cubic foot)
The price for the BalloonSat Airframe Kit (B-Airframe) is $28.00 plus $9.00 S&H (this is mailed as a parcel). A flight computer and sensor kit purchased in conjunction with the airframe kit incurrs no shipping fees. The B-Airframe kit contains all the parts recommended for a BalloonSat airframe except for hot glue, straight edge, Exacto knife, and clear mailing tape. There will be material left over that can be used to start a second BalloonSat.
Making and Using BalloonSats - click the Poorman's Space Program at the Society of Amateur Scientists for the current and past articles