Welcome to The Official
GPSL Website!
Our Mission
The Great Plains Super Launch is the premier conference for near space explorers and enthusiasts dedicated to the education and study of aerospace science via Amateur Radio High Altitude Ballooning.
Our Hosts
Nebraska Stratospheric Amateur Radio (NSTAR) is an informal association of high-altitude ballooning enthusiasts based in the Omaha, Nebraska area. NSTAR has conducted over 40 flights since October 2000 and was one of three groups that participated in the inaugural GPSL event in 2001. We have provided educational launches throughout our history, including annual launches for the annual Central Plains Severe Weather Symposium and University of Nebraska-Omaha Aerospace Education Workshop.
What is Near Space?
Near space is that region of the atmosphere above 60,000 feet but below the accepted altitude of space, 328,000 feet. These altitudes make near space far more like earth orbit than the surface of the earth. Air pressure in near space reaches 99% of a vacuum or better. Air temperatures drop to a low of -60 degrees F or colder. Cosmic radiation is over 100 times greater than at sea level. Near space is located within the ozone layer and therefore is an environment of increased damaging ultraviolet radiation. Near space is reached by helium or hydrogen-filled weather balloons. Since it is far less expensive to send payloads into near space than earth orbit, organizations like NASA will send new designs into near space first, as a test.
Our 2011 Sponsors were:
For information about being a sponsor for the 2011 Great Plains Super Launch please contact; Rob Wright
GPSL 2012 Tentative Schedule
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Thursday, June 7: Afternoon guided tour of the Strategic Air and Space Museum near Ashland (about 25 mi southwest of Omaha on I-80), early arrivals dinner
Friday, June 8: Presentations, dinner
Saturday, June 9: Primary launch day
Sunday, June 10: Backup launch day
- Thursday, June 7 --
- Afternoon guided tour of the Strategic Air and Space Museum near Ashland (about 25 mi southwest of Omaha on I-80)
- early arrivals dinner
- Friday, June 8 --
- Presentations
- Dinner
- Saturday, June 9 --
- Primary Launch Day
- Sunday, June 10 --
- Weather Day Launch
- Departure
Expected 2012 Participants
- Near Space System (NearSys), Kansas
- Near Space Ventures (NSV), Missouri
- Amateur Radio Balloons Over North East Texas (ARBONET), Texas
- University of Tennessee Amateur Radio Club (UTARC), Tennessee
- Edge of Space Sciences (EOSS), Colorado
- BASE - DePauw
- Dryden Engineering
- DiyShip
- ROBOMO
- Oklahoma Research Balloons (ORB), Oklahoma
- (HARBOR) High Altitude Reconnaissance Balloon for Outreach and Research
- Project Traveler, Kansas
- Nick Stich - K0NMS, Kansas
- Bill Brown - WB8ELK, Alabama
- University of Minnesota
- Dryden Engineering is in Michigan
- BASE-DePauw is in Indiana
Links and The Past
Near Space Links
Past Participants
- Near Space Ventures, Inc.
- CAPnSPACE
- Edge Of Space Sciences
- Nebraska Stratospheric Amateur Radio
- Oklahoma Research Balloons
- N Stich - K0NMS
- Near Space Systems
- Balloons Up Near Space
- Balloon Assisted Stratospheric Experiments
- Taylor High Altitude Research Program
- WB8ELK
- EosRed
- Central Nebraska Near Space Program
