operation Buried star

Sea To Sky Explorers Association provided technical and non-technical assistance for suspending a 50 kg scientific payload across a remote canyon in western Utah by:

• Developing operational expertise in the rigging, raising, and lowering of scientific observational equipment;

• Contributing to planning in the form of mapping, data-gathering, and other suitability assessment;

• Assigning a team of trained and qualified volunteers to access the anchor points for the payload, to rig, and assist with raising and lowering of the payload;

• Providing additional technical assistance as deemed necessary.

Sea to Sky assembled a team of 8 individuals competent on Class 3, 4 and 5 terrain, and supplied safety equipment appropriate for the proposed operation and terrain. A licensed mechanical engineer on the team provided an initial assessment and consulting on the anchor system, including optimizations for scientific parameters. The project was carried out on BLM wilderness study land approximately 50 miles from the nearest population center. Parts of the site were only accessible via dirt road, requiring the use of off-road capable vehicles and ability to camp in high altitude, arid environments.