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National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Goddard Space Flight Center

Scientific Ballooning

Balloon Program Office

Operational Capabilities

McMurdo, Antarctica Launch of 676N - STO II on a 39 MCF - 8 Dec 2016

A map of a circumpolar trajectory launched from Antarctica An altitude graph for a balloon launched from Antarctica

Depicted above is the circumpolar trajectory of a flight launched from McMurdo Station in Antarctica. The colors tracing the trajectory course in the image above correspond to balloon altitude. The graph shows the balloon's altitude daily from launch to termination.

A map of Antarctica, which shows both the first and second circumnavigation paths

In the picture above, the blue trace is the first circumnavigation, and the red trace is the second circumnavigation. The circular wind pattern in the Antarctic summer allows missions to circumnavigate the continent several times, allowing the flights to last days or even several weeks.

NASA Code 820

Scientific Balloon Update

Report back for the latest update from NASA's Balloon Program Office.