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+A collection of stuff about HacDC's near space initiatives, including
+the *Hackerspaces In Space* Contest entry (2010).
+
+# Current Status
+
+Project Spaceblimp is back! Spaceblimp has been a multi-discipline club
+effort to build, launch, track, and recover a [High-altitude
+Balloon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-altitude_balloon). So far
+HacDC has launched [6 Spaceblimps](Template:Spaceblimp "wikilink"), with
+[Spaceblimp 5](HacDC_Spaceblimp_5 "wikilink") reaching a maximum
+altitude of 118,533 ft and [Spaceblimp 6](HacDC_Spaceblimp_6 "wikilink")
+reaching 104,023 ft on 15 October 2016. The next iteration is expected
+in Spring 2018.
+
+# Come be involved in [Spaceblimp 6](HacDC_Spaceblimp_6 "wikilink")
+
+Since Global Space Balloon Challenge 2016 (GSBC) just ended, there is no
+better time than now to start planning for participation in, but not
+limited to, the GSBC 2017 challenge. HacDC has had some preliminary
+discussions with the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) regarding some of
+their STEM initiatives which align well with our Spaceblimp project.
+This presents a great opportunity for HacDC to collaborate with the NRL
+and local area schools to assist students in preparing for the next GSBC
+or other balloon events. Besides helping young minds grow, we could also
+expand in to other STEAM initiatives and work side-by-side with
+distinguished researchers and scientists from the NRL.
+
+Supplies and equipment are not an issue. Hands on help is. We need
+embedded hardware, software, FPGA, and RF engineers, licensed amateur
+radio operators, project developers, crafts people, decorators,
+coordinators, outreach specialists and educators. However, no one with
+helping hands or a willingness to learn will be turned away.
+
+# History of the HacDC Spaceblimp Project
+
+- On Aug 7, 2010, we launched our first balloon: [HacDC Spaceblimp
+  1](HacDC_Spaceblimp_1 "wikilink"). Its epic journey began well enough,
+  but the antenna came loose somewhere around 60,000 ft and we never
+  heard from it again. Until three months later, when a farmer found it
+  in her field, called up a friend (who happened to be an engineer) and
+  it came back home. The pictures are fantastic, but the telemetry data
+  was lost -- it overwrote itself many times over before the batteries
+  finally gave up.
+
+<!-- -->
+
+- Following (what we thought was) the loss of Spaceblimp-1, we scrambled
+  and launched [HacDC Spaceblimp 2](HacDC_Spaceblimp_2 "wikilink") on
+  Aug 21. It went flawlessly -- fast, light, and with good radio contact
+  the whole way through. It may be the third fastest-ascending amateur
+  radio balloon. We were disqualified from the Hackerspaces in Space
+  competition because we went over budget, but they said we would have
+  come in fourth if not. Sigh. But again, it was an inspiring success.
+
+<!-- -->
+
+- [HacDC Spaceblimp 3](HacDC_Spaceblimp_3 "wikilink") was successfully
+  launched and retrieved on 13 Nov 2010 with a much more involved
+  payload than previous versions. More cameras, HD video, more radios,
+  an accelerometer, geiger counter, pressure sensor. Weight and price
+  weren't constraints this time.
+
+<!-- -->
+
+- [HacDC Spaceblimp 4](HacDC_Spaceblimp_4 "wikilink") set the HacDC
+  altitude record, topping out at 103,764 ft! This flight got fantastic
+  video -- make sure to check out the two youtube links.
+
+<!-- -->
+
+- Insatiable and unstoppable, the HacDC team puts up [HacDC Spaceblimp
+  5](HacDC_Spaceblimp_5 "wikilink") on July 9, 2011. We bought a
+  yet-bigger balloon to try to get higher, and so: 118,533 ft!
+
+<!-- -->
+
+- [HacDC Spaceblimp 6](HacDC_Spaceblimp_6 "wikilink") was launched in
+  October 2016, reaching 104,023 ft with HD video, instrumentation and
+  various GPS radio trackers. It was the first Spaceblimp that captured
+  video of its own balloon and parachute. It was recovered in record
+  time just 20 minutes after landing despite failure of its primary
+  radio transmitter (the backup worked!) and the video is now on
+  YouTube.
+
+<!-- -->
+
+- [HacDC Spaceblimp 7](HacDC_Spaceblimp_7 "wikilink") is planned for
+  late March 2018 with various GoPro HD cameras, a new TrackSoar
+  GPS/Radio tracker, three Raspberry Pi Zeros and a gyroscopic
+  stabilizer.
+
+<!-- -->
+
+- **If you want to get involved or learn more or contribute to the
+  program...[Subscribe to the Spaceblimp email
+  list](http://hacdc.org/mailman/listinfo/spaceblimp)**
+
+# Related Links
+
+- [HacDC Spaceblimp Flickr
+  Group](http://www.flickr.com/groups/spaceblimp/)
+- [All HacDC Spaceblimp photos (hosted on ITechGeek's
+  Flickr)](https://www.flickr.com/photos/itechgeek/collections/72157627971098680/)
+
+GPS visualizations of balloon trajectory from the Flickr Group (made
+with GPS Visualizer <http://www.gpsvisualizer.com/>):
+
+[Google Earth GPS trajectory
+visualization](http://www.flickr.com/photos/79273063@N00/4946912327/)
+and [Google Maps GPS trajectory
+visualization](http://www.flickr.com/photos/79273063@N00/4947501800/)
+
+<noinclude> </noinclude>