Polaroids From Space

2012



I put a few cameras, GPS tracker and a Polaroid camera in a styrofoam box, attached it to a massive helium balloon, and let it go. I hacked the polaroid camera so it would take some pictures near peak altitude. The result is the first Polaroids ever taken from outside of our stratosphere!

Video montage

The Polaroids

Detailed

Put film in the Polaroid camera, and attach the Polaroid camera to a balloon. We put some hot-wire under the camera to keep the film and camera warm when inside the camera. Two Canon Powershots were included, and a GoPro to film it all. We had a seperate GPS tracker, and a flightcomputer with GPS that reported its position through a Radiotransmission that was heared and decoded by radio operators from the UK, Holland, Belgium, Denmark and Czechia. We were chasing the payload in our car from Holland while decoding its radiotransmission. Then the payload started floating on our atmosphere at 35km. We decided to drive back. Later the balloon burst and the payload landed in eastern Germany. We knew where it landed, and after some calls our payload returned safely.

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