Date:	Sat, 23 Sep 1995 13:45:44 -1000
From:	bc17@crux2.cit.cornell.edu (Brian Carcich)
Message-Id: <442678$df4@newsstand.cit.cornell.edu>
Organization: Cornell University
Subject: Need advice for Antartic aerial photography


Problem:  I am helping a friend who is going on an expedition to the
Antartic in November (leaving mid October) to look for meteorites.
One tool he would like to use is some sort of aerial photography to
map out a field, and I think a kite would be a good choice, as
there is almost always a strong breeze (20-40 kt) there.  He is
handling the photographic details (remote shuttered polaroid).

Constraints:
COLD:  The setup must be able to be flown in VERY cold weather.
       e.g. we plan to put warmm packs around a polaroid, and
       supress the auto-film eject until retrieving the camera.
       - lines must be usable and strong well below 0.
       - flying setup must be usable with thick gloves & no dexterity.
         (knot tying and assembly can be done in tents).

TRANSPORT:  a kite should be light (kites are good at this) and
            collapse and be set up easily.

STABILITY:  as mentioned above, strong winds are typical, so the kite
            should very stable.  Also hopefully easy to launch & fly.

SIMPLE:  My friend is a planetary scientist, not a kite enthusiast.
         Also, the extreme environment discourages complicated tasks.

CHEAP:  Not a lot of funds to purchase a kite, the camera is donated
        by Polaroid.  We will probably build the kite (maybe a backup
        too).

LIFT:  the camera is about 600 g, the warm packs are ~20 g each, so
       we should the payload should be 1 kg or less.

Our story so far:
I was flying a 4' delta conyne today in moderate winds (8-12 kt?),
and it was not nearly stable enough.  Would a drogue help?

I have "The Penguin Book of Kites" by David Pelham and Kiteworks by 
Maxwell Eden, and the strong-wind kites (compound box e.g. Cody, Hargrave,
& tetrahedral cell), seem too complex.  A simple box seems like the
best way to go.  We don't feel ambitious enough to sew up a parafoil,
especially in the time remaining.

SO, any advice is welcome, about any aspect (camera "gondola", support
point, kite types and size, &c).  Email is preferred, I will try to
read this group for the next week or so.

Thanks,

Dr. Bithead
Brian Carcich                  saved|by        +01(607)255-7453 FAX...-9002
Cornell University                --+--        carcich@cuspif.tn.cornell.edu
419 Space Sciences Building         |grace     CUSPIF::CARCICH (SPAN 6287::)
Ithaca, NY   14853-6801             |          btcx@crnlvax5.BITnet
The only things I don't like about C and Eunuchs(tm) are their proponents

"The problem with buttons is [that] they always fall off!"
"nine-ninety-eight"




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