Brooklyn Space Program launches iPhone into space (with video)

“Taking their iPhone Where No iDevice Has Gone Before, a father and son [drove from Brooklyn to] Newburgh, NY recently took a weekend science project to new heights,” Adam Rosen reports for Cult of Mac.

“Luke and Max Geissbuhler attached an HD Video Camera, iPhone and some styrofoam packing to a weather balloon, then launched their homemade satellite on a journey that lasted 72 minutes and climbed over 100,000 feet into the atmosphere,” Rosen reports. “The weather balloon burst after reaching about 19 miles high, then plummeted back to Earth by parachute and landed in a tree. The iPhone’s on-board GPS helped located the equipment once it landed, undamaged and only 30 miles away from the launch site!”

More info in the full article here.

63 Comments

  1. I believe they violated FAA rules, EPA rules, state DNR rules and a whole pile of other rules! Fines will be levied in the amount that will deplete the kid’s college savings fund and put the parents into bankruptcy. But hey, it was a cool idea and I admire them for doing what many use to do before everything became virtually illegal.

  2. I believe they violated FAA rules, EPA rules, state DNR rules and a whole pile of other rules! Fines will be levied in the amount that will deplete the kid’s college savings fund and put the parents into bankruptcy. But hey, it was a cool idea and I admire them for doing what many use to do before everything became virtually illegal.

  3. Amazin1:

    If you had bothered to read the article, you would have learned that during the research, development and building of the project, the father submitted all the necessary documentation and received approval for the operation of an unmanned lighter-than-air vehicle. He explains it all in detail: weight, size, shape requirements; how many individual threads can the ropes have, how these threads must be able to shred on impact, should an airliner accidentally ingest the balloon and its in the jet engine.

    The entire project was extremely scientific, legitimate and by the book.

  4. Amazin1:

    If you had bothered to read the article, you would have learned that during the research, development and building of the project, the father submitted all the necessary documentation and received approval for the operation of an unmanned lighter-than-air vehicle. He explains it all in detail: weight, size, shape requirements; how many individual threads can the ropes have, how these threads must be able to shred on impact, should an airliner accidentally ingest the balloon and its in the jet engine.

    The entire project was extremely scientific, legitimate and by the book.

  5. Actually, in all fairness, the article doesn’t contain all the details, and as Bubbles says, Vimeo comments explanations regarding construction limitations, as well as required permits.

  6. Actually, in all fairness, the article doesn’t contain all the details, and as Bubbles says, Vimeo comments explanations regarding construction limitations, as well as required permits.

  7. What a fantastic Father-Son experience!

    Like most of us, my Dad was my hero when I was a kid.
    He initiated lots of adventures with me, and enthusiastically joined me on mine when I asked him to.
    He helped me build crazy contraptions and rode along on whatever device we thought would be fun to invent.
    As so often happens, over the years we’ve grown to have opposite opinions about politics and society. But we don’t fight or argue or try to be right. We’ll always have the respect for each other, and the memories of great times, that a Dad spending time with is kid, creates.

    Luke and Max seem like a wonderful example of a healthy Father-Son relationship, and a reminder to parents;
    The most valuable commodity you can give your children, is your time.

  8. What a fantastic Father-Son experience!

    Like most of us, my Dad was my hero when I was a kid.
    He initiated lots of adventures with me, and enthusiastically joined me on mine when I asked him to.
    He helped me build crazy contraptions and rode along on whatever device we thought would be fun to invent.
    As so often happens, over the years we’ve grown to have opposite opinions about politics and society. But we don’t fight or argue or try to be right. We’ll always have the respect for each other, and the memories of great times, that a Dad spending time with is kid, creates.

    Luke and Max seem like a wonderful example of a healthy Father-Son relationship, and a reminder to parents;
    The most valuable commodity you can give your children, is your time.

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