Preparation work was started by the balloon team on the Friday before the launch date. They built antennas on the roof of the observatory on the Lustbühel, Graz and combined the parachute with a radar reflector. Also the electronics were already checked, the cars for the pick up of Passepartout were ready and even the Helium bottles waited for the launch of „Passepartout III digi“. As the forecast for Saturday predicted thunderstorms and strong winds, the Harald Fauland decided to move the launch to Sunday, 23rd of August.

Sunday: The team meets at 08:00 under a nearly clear blue sky. To fill the balloon with Helium they use a tarpaulin, which helps to keep the balloon on the ground until its payload has been added.

Once the balloon is filled, the parachute and the radar reflector get attached. Thanks to those, the payload will land softly and will be detectable with radar. Again, the Austrian army has offered to help and will follow Passepartout’s journey.

After a last check of the electronics, project leader Michael Taraba presses the final buttons and attaches the pink Styrofoam payload 10m below the radar reflector.

“Passepartout III digi” is a purely technical mission, where new hardware and an improved recovery system will be tested. Additionally the payload contains a “digipeater”, which can repeat short messages (APRS format) send from amateur radio operators. This is the first time, that a satellite guided positioning system is used for one of the recovery systems (Globalstar Satellites).

The mission is a collaboration of the Austrian Space Forum, the Austrian Testsender’s Association (Österreichischer Versuchssenderverband, ÖVSV), the observatory Lustbühel and the Austrian army. At 09:25 Passepartout launches towards the sky. Shortly afterwards the two „hunting“ teams go on their mission: coordinated by the mission control centre they follow the path of Passepartout given to them by the GPS data of the payload and the measurements from the Austrian army.

At a maximum height of 31.100 km the balloon explodes at 11:30. At 12:15 the search teams get informed my mission control that Passepartout has landed – somewhere in Slowenia, between Savci and Ormoz close to the Croatian border. Even with the correct GPS coordinates it takes nearly two hours to reach the payload, as they also have to find a street leading there.

Finally the search team arrives in a forest close to Vicanci, which is on the MCC’s screens since lunchtime – thanks to Google Earth. Using a tracking transmitter, the team discovers the payload together with its parachute and radar reflector 20m high up in a tree – the same situation like last time. Back then this was a difficult task for the crew, but this time they are prepared. With the help of the local family, who wondered about the pink Styrofoam cube in a tree, poles are stuck together and a knife is attached to the end. To cover for the last 10m a ladder from the neighbours can be used.

Two unsuccessful tries later the knife is replaced with a sickle. With this device Rudolf Albrecht can finally cut loose and Passepartout ends his journey on the forest ground. The payload is undamaged. Thankful we accept the offer for a cup of coffee can already show the movie Passepartout made of its flight to our helpers. The daughter of the house, who works at a radio station, takes the opportunity and interviews the search (and rescue) team of the Forum. Passepartout not only finished a successful flight, it also became famous in Slowenia!