Arriving at the football field of VMS, the graduate student launch team set each
payload string on separate tarps. Each payload sensor had to be turned on and secured
into the appropriate payload container. Then the payload containers were sealed using
duct tape, which took much longer than anticipated. At 9:00 AM, the anticipated launch
time, the team was still securing payloads and inflating the balloons. The students,
teachers, and staff unfortunately had to stand around for an additional 50 minutes,
waiting for the launch team to fix the technical issues. Students were preoccupied by an
educational balloon physics lesson by Dr. Fevig and received NASA stickers from Ms.
Nolby.