illi News - X2Griffon Flight Trajectory Predictions Advance; MSDS Activates BLE Ground Recovery Technology

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CASEY, Ill. - illiNews -- The X2Griffon, about 1.01 pounds and formerly known as AmUP01, is MSDS's flagship platform for stratospheric vertical profiling. Housed in a rugged waterproof ABS plastic Payload Containment Unit approximately 5.9 by 3.9 by 2.8 inches, it captures high-resolution data on temperature, pressure, humidity, wind profiles, atmospheric stability, and GPS positioning during rapid ascents to approximately 115,000 feet followed by parachute descents. The system integrates advanced tracking and live data transmission capabilities, with critical electronics soldered in-house to MSDS specifications. Following the successful dry functional test completed earlier this week at MSDS facilities in Casey, Illinois—which validated GPS, APRS telemetry, sensors, power systems, and flight computer—the BLE addition further strengthens mission reliability ahead of the scheduled maiden science flight on September 19, 2026. The payload also employs exothermic chemistry for stratospheric heating to maintain reliable operation in the extreme cold of near-space conditions.

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The X2Griffon payload carries a compact BLE beacon that continuously transmits low-power advertisement packets using the Bluetooth Low Energy protocol. Ground recovery teams and participating volunteers with BLE-compatible receivers detect these signals in the field. By measuring the varying strength of the detected BLE signals from multiple locations, recovery teams can estimate proximity and triangulate the payload's position with increasing accuracy. This method is especially effective in predicted landing zones where GPS or APRS signals may be obstructed by dense vegetation, rolling terrain, or distance from the primary tracking network. Because BLE operates at very low power, the beacon can remain active for extended periods on a small battery, providing a persistent recovery signal long after the payload has landed and primary telemetry may no longer be in range.

The crowdsourced network of recovery volunteers expands detection coverage. Multiple independent signal readings from different participants feed into a shared system that refines the estimated location, allowing the core recovery team to narrow the search area efficiently and safely.

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Key technical highlights include low-power BLE 5.x implementation for extended battery life suitable for multi-day recovery windows, lightweight low-profile hardware addition fully compatible with X2Griffon's sub-2 pound regulatory target and existing telemetry suite, privacy-first design with full user consent for network participation and encrypted data handling, and hybrid tracking that complements APRS and GPS flight telemetry with BLE-based ground proximity. The scalable architecture strengthens automatically as more participants join the recovery network.

MSDS continues its commitment to FAA-compliant, safe, and transparent operations as a NASA GLOBE-registered program participant and active member of the Stratospheric Ballooning Association. All X2Griffon atmospheric data will be released publicly on the Midwest Stratospheric Data Systems online portal shortly after successful recovery.

For more information on the X2Griffon program, monitor project updates through MSDS channels and http://midwestsds.com