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Balloon Program Office
Operations
Mission Location: Esrange, Sweden
Flight Season: May - July, odd years
Campaign Duration: April - July
Launch Time: No preference
Trajectory: West
Balloon Type: ZP / SPB
Max Science Mass:6000 lbs (ZP), 3674 lbs2 (SPB)
31.003 - Balloon Observations Of Microburst Scales (BOOMS) [PO]
Mission description:
Take first high-resolution image of x-rays from energetic electron microbursts, to understand the structure and scale of this important to the radiation belt precipitation. Tie the microburst images back to their physical processes by mapping the images back to the source region. Resolve longstanding questions on the sizes and distribution of small scale relativistic electron precipitation structure.
Institution: Montana State University
Desired Float Conditions: LDB
Desired Float Duration: 36 hours
Desired Float Altitude: 40 km (min 38 km)
31.009 XL-Calibur
Mission description:
The XL-Calibur mission will observe a sample of galactic black hole and neutron star sources and measure their 15-80 keV X-ray polarization properties. The measurements will be complimentary to the ones taken with NASA’s IXPE soft X-ray polarimetry mission. The results will constrain the properties of astrophysical black holes and neutron stars and will give new insights into how these objects accelerate electrons and emit X-rays.
Institution: Washington University in St. Louis
Desired Float Conditions: N/A
Desired Float Duration: 5 days
Desired Float Altitude: 125,000 ft
31.008 SUNRISE-III (SR-3)
Mission description:
High Resolution Stratospheric Solar Observatory. High resolution imaging and spectro-polarimetry of the solar photosphere / chromosphere and active regions to measure magnetic field, temperature, velocities with high height and temporal resolution.
Institution: Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research (MPS); John Hopkins University - Applied Physics Laboratory
Desired Float Conditions: The launch window opens 3 weeks before summer solstice and closes 2 weeks after. Circumpolar trajectory
Desired Float Duration: 7+ days (min 3 days)
Desired Float Altitude: 121,000 ft (min 110,000 ft)
31.010R1 60MCF TF
Mission description:
This is a test flight of the 60MCF balloon design. The BOOMS piggyback will be flown.
Institution: NASA GSFC / WFF
Desired Float Conditions: No Preference
Desired Float Duration: 48 hours (min 6 hours)
Desired Float Altitude: 157,000 ft (min 150,000 ft)
NASA Code 820
Scientific Balloon Update
Report back for the latest update from NASA's Balloon Program Office.
- NASA Official: Debora Fairbrother
- Point of Contact: Valerie Brizak