Project Title

NASA Long Duration Balloon (LDB) support program

Summary

Event Number:
A-145-M
NSF / NASA Agreement

Program Director:
Dr. Vladimir Papitashvili

ASC POC/Implementer:
John Rand / Kaija Webster / Chad Naughton

Principal Investigator(s)

Hugo Franco
hugo.franco@nasa.gov
Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility

Project Web Site:
https://www.csbf.nasa.gov

Location

Supporting Stations: McMurdo Station
Research Locations: McMurdo LDB Site

Description

The NASA Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility (CSBF) provides launch, tracking and control, airspace coordination, telemetry and command systems, and recovery services for unmanned high-altitude balloon operations in Antarctica. This season, two launches from McMurdo Station, and one recovery of a payload from a previous campaign, are scheduled:

- GAPS (General AntiParticle Spectrometer) on a 40mcf balloon.

- Salter Test Flight Universal on an 11.8mcf balloon.

• The Salter mission is scheduled to carry up to 6 ‘piggyback’ payloads performing a variety of operational and observational experiments. Included are the: Ice Dragon Drops, EMIDSS, BAS-M, MARSBOx, ANIHALA, and BIGS payloads. The MARSBOx experiment is notable in that it will be carrying melanized fungi for research designed to study the biological effects of cosmic interstellar radiation on live organisms in a Mars-analog environment.

- AESOP-Lite Recovery (Anti-Electron Sub-Orbital Payload – Low Energy).

The payloads consist of science instruments, command/control systems and solar/battery power units. The bulk of the data collected is stored on onboard hard drives, with a small amount of data transmitted to ground based receiving stations via radio telemetry. After the flight has been completed recovery support is required in order to disassemble the instrument and return data/equipment from the field to McMurdo Station for northbound shipping to the United States.

Field Season Overview

CSBF balloon launches typically occur in December/early January when the upper wind circulation wind sets up. On-site preparations begin mid-October with set-up of the launch equipment and assisting with the assembly of the science instruments. During this time, delivered cargo is unpacked, equipment is dewinterized, and flight systems assembled. The launch ready target date is 1 December. The balloons ascend to an altitude of between 115kft to 160kft and float around the Antarctic continent, typically returning to the McMurdo area usually in 8 to 15 days. The balloons are terminated over a suitable location and high priority items recovered as soon as possible. Full recoveries involving larger components are typically planned in following seasons. As of the date of this entry, two major payloads (the GUSTO and AESOP-Lite experiments) are planned for launch in the 2023-24 season.

Deploying Team Members