Aerial Ping Pong Drop
Next Ping Pong Ball Number: 125
Map of Found Balls
Here is a list of all the balls that have been found and returned to us. This map will update as more balls are found.
Fri 2011.09.02
This was our Friday night event.
We released 30+ balloons with pingpong balls and origami butterflies attached to them, hopefully when they land someone will find them and go to the URL on the pingpong balls and let us know where and when they were found.
The idea was to do something fun with the helium that was left over from the B1 launch the previous Saturday. Matt suggested that we make this an ongoing project that we reprise after each LEAD Balloon Project launch as an easy and fun way to use up the remaining helium and to try a social/art experiment.
We had a nice turn out, 12 members showed up to hang out and prep balloons. Three eggbots were running, thanks to Matt B, Chris Y, and Dave F (generous ex-member), and almost everyone had a hand in "the production line." The release of the first 15 balloons went as a group. A couple of them were weighed down by the butterflies and had to have them removed to ascend. The second batch Matt filled with a bit more helium and we put only one butterfly on them. We released the second batch one at a time for a stream of balloons effect. (Sadly the outdoor night balloon release photos didn't come out.)
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We had 12 in the shop, I missed some folks in this shot.
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Eggbot in action!
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Project info. The shop logo is on the other side.
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The first 15 balloons staged and ready for release!
The image we printed/egg-botted onto the pingpong balls: Media:APPD_pingpong_balloons.svg
Mon 2011.09.05
Doug launched 6 more ping pong payloads, numbers 35 through 40. All hand lettered.
Number 40 had an battery and a green LED surgically implanted into the PPB and needed two balloons to achieve positive buoyancy. Thanks to Matt for the battery and the surgery.
Wed 2011.09.07
Doug, Sarita, and guest made 10 more ping pong payloads, numbers 41 through 50. All hand lettered. Everyone at the shop help us launch them!
Matt made a garbage bag balloon from two of the white trash bags and launched ping pong payload #51 (hand lettered). The large white balloon was visible from quite a distance.
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Matt examining his handiwork.
Fri 2011.09.09
After the talk was over, we launched 12 more balloons: 52-63. One of which had a super bright white LED and battery donated by Ben from BirdBrain Labs. With the LED, battery and pingpong ball it was had just barely attained positive bouyancy and was visible for quite a long time.
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Eli ready to launch!
After that we launched another 15 more balloons: 65-79. Nothing unusual or different about these. The helium tank is virtually empty, but when we stopped filling balloons it wasn't because the tank was completely empty. Given the large garbage bag fill from the preceding Wed, and the various lost Helium due to singing and burst balloons, we've probably gotten 100 party balloons from the leftover from the B1 launch, and we can probably get a few more.
Mon 2011.09.12
Launched another dozen balloons and pingpong ball payloads, numbers 80-91. Still helium left!
Matt reported that the second pingpong ball was found, this time in McKeesport.
Wed 2011.09.14
Launch another seven balloons and pingpong ball payloads, numbers 92-98. STILL helium left though the tank gauge says 0. It was windier tonight than before. The balloons took off low, heading towards the Birmingham Bridge and at least two just barely cleared the power lines at the edge of the lot.
Matt reported that the third pingpong ball was found, this time in the Northside.
Mon 2011.09.19
Launched another twelve balloons and pingpong ball payloads, numbers 99-110. STILL helium left though the tank gauge says 0. There was a light rain, but the balloons departed easily heading towards downtown.
Matt reported that the fourth and fifth pingpong balls were found.
Wed 2011.09.21
Balls 111-120 were launched all with just ping pong ball payloads. Helium tank is still holding out on us. The night was clear so we were easily able to follow the balls up a good ways.
10 Balls have been reported back and all are on the map.