< >
Our weather balloon payload design is a layered structure made of thick paper plates, with padding on the bottom and string forming an attachment point. This design functions towards protecting all equipment while still having a stable descent. In this design, the cushion made of a plastic bag on the bottom provides a cushioned landing and the multiple layers absorb shock. The camera has a mount spot in the first layer and all other equipment is on the second layer. In our design, all of the equipment are in a designated frame and are securely attached to the frame. Our design also has string forming a cone shape on top which forms the one attachment point. Overall, our design is a round, cone shaped payload with multiple layers that house all the scientific instruments, with padding to absorb shock. During the drop test, our payload landed evenly and no equipment was damaged. We also researched and analyzed some data on Los Angeles weather and Salt Lake City weather. The different factors that make Salt Lake City’s and Los Angeles’ temperatures different are elevation and location to the ocean. All of the other factors are the same for both locations. We also analyzed historical weather data in Los Angeles. We think that temperatures will change in the next 10 years, because historical data shows that temperatures are slowly increasing.