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Submarine Tetris! Our goal for life support on our subs & balloon platforms is for the air to be better than Earth normal. Subs typically run 3000 to 5000 parts per million CO2. We run ~1100. We want it below 400ppm. Eric & Celina spent hours fitting additional mockup scrubber in the sub.

We took this pic of Pyramid Lake, NV from 101,000 feet in 2013.

www.youtube.com/johnmpowell/...
Nearly 400 videos, the mission to the edge of space and in the water, the engine tests and goals and dreams. All the goings on at JP Aerospace, America's OTHER Space Program. Check it out!

While getting work done at the launch site we took a break to launch a tiny rocket with a camera. We wanted to get some pics of from the air. Isn't it a law that you can't go to a launch site without launching something?

Winter morning at Area 42.
We were up at the launch site the past couple of days. We were meeting with the contractor for a big site improvement and getting odds and ends done. It was a bit chilly but the sunrises there make it worth it.

New Video: youtu.be/VPjBb3gFC68?...
Fitting our 3200-pound submarine to its trailer for the first time.

There's something special about winter launch mornings.
Paul and Karl taking a moment during launch site prep in the Black Rock desert.

The 'High Rack' is our workhorse vehicle. We use it to test airship parts, fly student experiments, shoot commercials, & basic research.

I love cloud shadows from the edge of space.
From the Away 132 mission.

Being a space entrepreneur means sometimes you get to build spaceships and submarines. Sometimes it means you get to clean the office microwave...

Sensor Logs!
Full geek time! Our submarine now generates sensors logs during operations and I'm jazzed. In test #5 this week we put it to the test. It still needs tweaking, but all the data matched our handwritten results. Next step is to include the life support data.

45 minutes in the water, 45 pages of data. It's amazing how much information you can get one of one test.
From the mission & checklist notes written live to the on-board data logs, post equipment tests & the seven cameras there is a lot to extract from Bellavia test 5.

New Video: youtu.be/L-t4qiVDvFY?...
High speed research on a budget.
What you do if you don't happen to have a SR-71 and the party poopers at the Air Force won't loan you one. 😉
Data Darts, one of the other programs we're working on.

Waiting for launch.
Sometimes you need to sit and wait patiently for the team to do their thing. It's actually a nice 'catch your breath' moment.

We have three prep positions to put Bellavia in the water. Parking lot, level before ramp, and ramp. We added stopping on the level area before the ramp for pilot climb in & drop weight attachment. The ramp itself is a bit steep. Moving 1/2 the checklist to level ground made everything easier.

Submarine back up on the ramp undergoing shutdown after a job well done.

Surface the submarine 2!
From Bellavia test 5, forward starboard side wall cam.

Submarine test 5 was our smoothest deployment so far. It did give us several pages to mods to make, code to change and connections to tighten, but that is the whole point. We're got high altitude operations down pretty good. Now we're starting to get a handle on crewed operations.

Warnock: "You can't ask me to be an accomplice to the killing of Alex Pretti and Renee Good. It's to make a butchery of my conscience."

Team Bella!
These are the folks that make it happen!
From Bellavia test 5.

Moment of truth.
From Bellavia test 5.

Surface the boat!
From Bellavia test 5.

Submarine in the mist.
From the cockpit cam during yesterday's test. Bellavia is now fog qualitied.

Submarine Bellavia test 5. Success!
Team back, all safe and sound.

The most important thing to remember when getting ready for a complex operation: Team Snacks!

Predeployment checklists are complete, the equipment is staged and the truck gases up. We're ready for the morning drive to the marina. This will be Submarine Bellavia water test #5. Wish us luck!

The team putting the final touches on Bellavia (our submarine) before next week's launch.

University payloads aboard the Away 118 platform.
Fly, Fly Fly, and when you do take everybody with you.
Exploration belongs to everyone.

We're gearing up for Sub launch #5. A week away but still lots to do. This one will see the team of new JPA pilots getting there first time out.

Good Morning Earth!
One from the Archives. Up top aboard Away 60.