On our first morning in the desert we awoke to the blazing hot Sun, miles upon miles of sand and French toast. We helped the Mavs to unload all the rockets and rocket parts including a V2 rocket like those used in WW2. Our first attempt at air sampling using the MicroBioSampler (MB1) hit a wall when the sampler wouldn't turn on. The MB1 works by drawing in air and trapping (technically 'impinging') any particles (including microbes) onto an agar plate. We later realised there were no batteries inside which we promptly corrected and continued our preliminary tests. After around 6 hours neither of our original samples showed any visible growth so we opted for a control plate which was sampled from the RV toilet air.
Later in the evening Olly, Lynn and Rocco joined us on the playa (the term used for the very flat dry lake bed that makes up the Black Rocks desert) along with the balloon technicians from StratoFox who would be launching the balloon the following morning carrying the HAB. This meant there was a last minute scramble to prepare the HAB so Olly, Paul and Rainbow stayed up all night to complete it and try and solve a few technical bugs. We also discovered that Rainbow can sleep in any place and position including standing up!
Day five began with an early start in order to reach the launch site and launch the balloon within the time allocated by the federal government (permission is needed to launch things above a certain height and any air traffic in the area needs to be informed). We made some final aesthetic touches (i.e. drawing a Union Jack on the box) and the balloon was inflated with helium and launched on time and problem-free. The balloon ascended well however unfortunately communications between the HAB and computers on the ground were lost fairly soon after launch. The StratoFox team tracked the balloon's progress and continually updated the predicted landing site. Eventually after about 90minutes it landed 8 miles from Base Camp and 1.3 miles from the mountains which was a relief as recovery would obviously be much tougher for a mountain landing and maybe even impossible . The HAB had reached a maximum height of 92,000 ft and brought with it back to earth and ice pack which had been frozen in the upper atmosphere!
StratoFox launch yet another balloon with the remaining helium at half five in the morning so they could finish early and start their long journey home to California. Unfortunately, they had to chase the balloon for more than six hours due to the lack of helium which meant a slow ascent rate and more opportunities for the wind to take hold. Eventually, the balloon drifted close the Nevada-Oregon border.
We had intended to carry out six air samples per day, but this was hampered by several inconvenient sand storms so we only managed to take one. Paul and Olly spent most of the day making final modifications to the HAB which was due to be launched on a rocket the following day.
In the evening we drove to Fernley to pick up Mel, a biochemist and the final member of our team, and took the opportunity to use the shower in her motel room and pick up the few supplies we had forgotten in Wal-Mart.
Then it was back to the desert and more work on the HAB into the early hours.
Rob, Tom and the
StratoFox Team
Read the entries from Joe and Rainbow's blog.
Find out more about the scientists who lead our two winners on this expedition.
Joe and Rainbow created a video blog to share their experience of the expedition.
Watch the video
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