Ride through the stratosphere with Pegasus II

from Ride through the stratosphere with Pegasus II
by Microsoft IoT

Usually when Microsoft talks about the cloud it is only figurative; but today, we quite literally have taken the power of the Azure cloud, connectivity and the Internet of Things (IoT) to launch the Pegasus Mission all the way to the stratosphere.

A high-altitude balloon experiment that was spearheaded by Microsoft’s Matt Vasey, Mark Nichols and a team of 50 engineers, the Pegasus Mission brings atmospheric science and IoT together in a new technology experience. The group plans to launch its next high-altitude balloon, Pegasus II, on Feb. 26 in central Illinois, and invites the public to follow the mission live and participate through the web, mobile apps and social media.

Pegasus II will soar up to 100,000 feet to the edge of the Earth’s atmosphere, powered by 280 cubic feet of helium and carrying with it seven radios, 36 sensors and six cameras — one of which will provide a live stream of the event for anyone with an internet connection, anywhere in the world to enjoy.

Mobile apps available for Android, iOS and Windows will allow people to keep track of the mission wherever they are. The apps will provide a stream of measurements from the craft, and also allow people to send messages to Pegasus II that will become part of the flight log.

For information on how to follow the Pegasus II launch and download your app, visit Matt Long’s post on the Microsoft Research blog. You can also find links to the apps, social media, telemetry data and status updates here.

And for more information on what the Internet of Things can do for your next bold endeavor, visit http://ift.tt/1qXMgCt.