Project Title

NASA Long Duration Balloon (LDB) support program

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Summary

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

Program Director:
Dr. Vladimir Papitashvili

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

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Principal Investigator(s)

Undefined Hugo Franco
hugo.franco@nasa.gov
Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility
Palestine, Texas

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Location

Supporting Stations: McMurdo Station
Research Locations: Long Duration Balloon Facility

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Description

NASA/CSBF provides the balloon platform and project oversite for high-altitude scientific balloon launches taking place at McMurdo Station in Antarctica. This season up to 3 payloads are being considered for launch during the month of December: - GAPS (General AntiParticle Spectrometer on 40mcf balloon) - ASTHROS (Astrophysics Stratospheric Telescope for High Spectral Resolutions Observations at Submillimeter-wavelengths on 40mcf balloon) - Salter Test Flight Universal (Including Ice Dragon Drops, EMIDSS, BAS-M, MARSBOx, ANIHALA, and BIGS piggyback payloads on 11.8mcf balloon.) 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.

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Field Season Overview

Five participants will deploy to McMurdo Station to complete inspections and maintenance on Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility (CSBF) assets at LDB. This work will include repairing the launch vehicle and loader, inspecting the helium stores, retrograding equipment, and recovering SuperTIGER2 flight computers. ASC will deploy the LDB facility manager/implementer to McMurdo Station to support CSBF in completing its season objectives, coordinate and support the planned ASC facility upgrades, and prepare the facility for full return to launch capabilities in the 2022-23 season.

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Deploying Team Members