We decided to carve out space in the lid of the payload box to secure the FlightCPU. This allowed it to be exposed to the elements, but in a way that did not damage the board. If we had placed the FlightCPU in the actual payload, we risked contaminating the data as we had included warmers to keep the cameras above freezing temperature. So placing the FlightCPU outside the payload was a must.

Here you can get a good sense for the size of the ballon and the care taken to inflate it. Notice the latex gloves being warn- even the slightest oil form your hand can cause the balloon to prematurely pop.

This picture shows the complete ballon, parachute, radar deflector (or is it reflector?), and payload. The entire flight line was about 40 ft. It was impressive to hold, as I could certainly feel the lift of the ballon on the payload.