Design. Build. Test. Repeat.

Attached is a shot from last week doing dropsonde testing on the NASA DC-8 (based out of Palmdale, CA), while NASA Goddard scientists look on. While in the end we retrieved the high altitude wind data we were chasing after, it was a slightly frustrating day as only two of our  five prototypes performed as expected. What we learned on that flight should lead to success on an upcoming DC-8 mission over Iceland this May called "Icebridge" - see http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/icebridge/#.VQkS2I7F8fA

Curious fact: Greenland's one-to-two mile thick ice sheet, if completely melted, would raise worldwide sea level by a mind-numbing 24 feet.

Later this summer Navy will deploy our dropsondes over active Atlantic/gulf hurricanes via the NASA WB-57, flying at the staggering altitude of 60,000'. Our research is aimed at improving hurricane forecasting skill to the level where people have enough confidence to move out of harm's way before it hits.

- Mark Beaubien

A school man...

Condolences to Charlie "Chaz" Gagne on the passing of his father, who was a schoolman of the first order. 

"He afterwards taught at Brewster Academy and at the Hill School Camp, both in Wolfeboro, NH. Mr. Gagne taught at the Lawrence Academy in Groton, MA, from 1958 to 2000. He taught French, and English as a Second Language, and he was chair of the Language Department. Mr. Gagne also served as a dorm master in Waters House, in Sheedy Hall, and in Spaulding Hall; as a student advisor; as an advocate for the Winterim Program; and as a coach of lacrosse, soccer, wrestling, basketball, and golf." - See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/bostonglobe/obituary.aspx?pid=174362946#sthash.bRGtUBjH.dpuf

Richard H Gagne: Educator, coach, advisor, friend and father who lived for 85 admirable years as a New England gentleman. Born in the heart of the Great Depression. During WWII attended the Exeter Academy that was shown to the world by John Knowles in ‘A Separate Peace’. Served in Germany in the US Army during the Korean Conflict, and taught prep school students during the Vietnam and Gulf Wars. His faith in humanity was unwavering throughout. He taught me, and hundreds of others, the importance of knowing, and acting on, the difference between right and wrong. May you rest in peace, Father, in the knowledge that you lived your life as a good man.