PARK SLOPE, N.Y. (WPIX)—
A Brooklyn father and his 7-year-old son made a homemade spacecraft that traveled into orbit -- and they have video to prove it.Luke Geissbuhler and his son Max, of Park Slope, have evolved into internet sensations since posting the results of their experiment.
The contraption consisted of a 19-inch helium filled weather balloon in a capsule made out of Styrofoam, along with a camera. The pair also attached a parachute to the payload to bring the camera back to Earth.
After eight months of research, the father and son launched their balloon last month in a remote area in Newburgh.
Homemade Spacecraft from Luke Geissbuhler on Vimeo.
Homemade Spacecraft (textless version) from Luke Geissbuhler on Vimeo.
The balloon rose to 3,000 feet within two minutes of the launch. About a little over an half and hour later, the device reached the stratosphere.
An on board GPS device allowed Geissbuhler to track the invention.
Columbia University Professor of Astronomy Marcel Agueros watched the video with PIX 11 News and said he is very impressed.
"They were very good but also very lucky," said Agueros.
