Santa Cruz-based video producer Ron Fugelseth decided to send his son’s favorite toy, Stanley the train, to the edge of space, 18-miles above ground. That’s right, “the balloon took an hour to reach the stratosphere, a trip we’ve seen before, but in this case Fugelseth animated the train’s face with After Effects and Photoshop for dramatic effect, giving it life as it reacts to the dynamics of the journey.” Continue reading for the video and more information.
‘First off, I called the FAA 15 minutes before launch (per their instructions) so they could make sure no planes fly into the flight path. ‘I read and followed all their rules for weather balloon launches. ‘It had a homemade radar reflector, and a 3 foot parachute.’
Mr Fugelsmith also says he spent two months monitoring winds to predict where Stanley would land – and fitted him with GPs so he could be tracked and recovered. ‘The prediction website was only 5-10 miles off, so he landed safely in a corn field, far away from any towns.
