Friday, March 26, 2010

Man Baffles NASA With Space Photos

Uses Balloon And Home Camera To Take Amazing Space Photos

Photo of Earth taken from home space balloon
Photo of Earth taken from home space balloon (Courtesy: www.RobertHarrison.org / March 25, 2010)

WEST YORKSHIRE, GREAT BRITAIN -- Putting NASA and its billion dollar budgets to shame, a British space enthusiast took amazing photos and video from space with just a few hundred dollars, a home camera and a balloon.

Robert Harrison spent a mere $747 dollars to take his photos and video from 22 miles above Earth's surface.

The results are stunning.

Harrison told the L.A. Times that a NASA official who saw the photos and video called him and asked him how he did it.

Apparently NASA thought Harrison used a rocket to achieve the flight into space.

Harrison says he put a camera into a polystyrene box and attached it to a helium balloon.

The camera was programmed to snap 8 photos and a short video every five minutes.

When the balloon reached an altitude of 22 miles, it popped.

As the camera fell, a parachute opened and the box gently floated back to earth.

Harrison found his camera some 50 miles from his home with the help of a GPS locator.

If you are thinking of duplicating Harrison's feat, you may first have to get permission from the FAA.

To see Harrison's space photos and video, just go to: http://www.flickr.com/photos/

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