- Take Over The World(3 days)
X-Labs is a new concept on the USF campus. We are a hands-on education group with the sole purpose to inspire students. The concept was recently born from a dedicated and diverse group of engineering students at USF who wanted to not only showcase the University's technical ability, but wanted to show the world that research begins with a creative spirit. We are doing this through large and ambitious projects. A prime example of such a project is our current development of the USF Space program. By launching high altitude balloons to the edge of space we will bring the university to new heights. This project will lay a foundation for future large-scale demonstrations. Stay tuned, big things will come from X-Labs!
Community Involvement
Fri, 05/30/2008 - 14:01 — wmeltonDear X-labs,
I have been pondering with an idea for sometime now, and I would like to share it with you in hopes of sparking some interest. I think a terrific way to inspire young engineers is to generate a curiosity within engineering early in their lives; X-labs has done a wonderful job of doing this in the Engineering Expo. However, I would like for this to continue more than once a year. To accomplish this, I believe we should bring the show on the road.
Take Over The World
Wed, 06/25/2008 - 14:13 — admin06/29/2008 - 02:00
07/01/2008 - 01:59
Etc/GMT-5
Any thoughts?
If the site was updated more often, would you check it more often?
Wed, 06/25/2008 - 02:37 — Secret Admin AccountYes.
75% (3 votes)
No.
25% (1 vote)
I am busy being a miserable, lonely person and have no time to check the site.
0% (0 votes)
Total votes: 4
Launch Successful...
Tue, 05/06/2008 - 11:25 — adminIn the end we flew a balloon to over 70,000 ft and brushed the boundary between space and the atmosphere. As of yet, we have not recovered the payload, but the idea of the project was proved by data received from our balloon. Currently operations in cooperations with the polk county sheriffs office are underway to retrieve the payload. The region that it went down is the Lake Kissimmee area and it it densely wooded.
-click on story for pictures-
The pictures below are part of a Flickr pool. If you took some at the launch please submit some.
Successful Launch!!! Recovery...???
Sun, 05/04/2008 - 22:59 — carlxaSuccessful Launch!!! Recovery...??? working on locating the payload after the APRS stopped recording location at 27 58 29, -81 32 12 and 22,238 ft. here is the flight path as recorded by APRS:
http://aprs.fi/?call=KJ4AWM&mt=m&z=11&timerange=3600
A crew will be flying over the projected landing area in an airplane to hopefully be able to spot it.
Wish them luck!!
thanks to all who were able to attend and help make it happen. Special thanks to Ken and his wife for their gracious hospitality. Pilot country rules!
updates and video/ pictures to follow, first need sleep....
Up Up and Away.
Sat, 05/03/2008 - 20:04 — adminTomorrow morning at 6:00am the X-Labs members are setting up for a high altitude balloon launch at 7:00am. The FAA has given this launch window so don't be late!
The balloon will be launched from an airport called "Pilot Country Estates".
Meeting Minutes for April 25th
Fri, 04/25/2008 - 15:46 — carlxa Balloon Project must finish next week!!
○ Timing circuit ordered a pre built one will assemble with camera Tuesday
○ Rigging Tuesday 4pm in trailer
○ Obtain gas (Carl from Dr. Bhansali)
○ Streamers and or fins on payload, and labeling Tuesday
○ Friday will be last chance to test everything and pack it all up for trasport.
Friday will be just like launch day except no filling of the balloon!
○ Launch on Sunday!! Most people could not make the Saturday launch so we decided to move it to Sunday !!
○ Launch location is
Meeting minutes April 18th
Sat, 04/19/2008 - 15:46 — carlxa Next Meeting:
○ Need to discuss Officer duties and progression to the next generation of Xlabers
○ Need new officer elections soon and have old officers train new ones in running of Xlabs.
○ Writing of Charter and Constitution, revise old one to reflect the emerging direction and focus of Xlabs.
○ Finish all preparations for balloon launch.
Balloon Project must finish next week!!
○ Timing circuit still needs done may claim defeat and order a pre built one
○ Parachute modification
○ Rigging
○ Not using Tracking system
Meeting
Wed, 03/19/2008 - 07:54 — admin03/21/2008 - 14:30
Etc/GMT-5
We need to put batteries in the payload and do a quick run-up. Maybe run the payload. We need to ensure that the batteries will hold for several hours.
Joe
