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Brit balloon bod Bodnar overflies North Pole

B-64 amateur ultralight payload approaching second circumnavigation

Hats must be tipped today in tribute to Brit balloon bod Leo Bodnar, whose ultralight B-64 payload is about to complete its second circumnavigation of the planet.

The 11g B-64 rig – comprising radio transmitter, LiPo battery and a couple of solar panels slung under a transparent film envelope (pics here) – launched on 12 July from near Silverstone, Northamptonshire.

It completed its first circumnavigation on 31 July, and was this morning approaching Ireland:

The track of B-64 plotted on Spacenear.us

Marvellously, the data shows it recently passed over the North Pole, coming to within 10km of that point, projected vertically into the stratosphere, naturally.

Track showing B-64 passing close to the North Pole

Here's a nice view of the whole jaunt, grabbed as B-64 tickled Iceland on its second return home:

Polar view on Google Earth of B-64's track

You can follow the mission track live right here. ®

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