Long duration balloon flights from Esrange Space Center carrying astronomical instruments

Paper number

IAC-10,A3,4,5,x8414

Author

Mr. Ola Widell, SSC, Sweden

Coauthor

Mr. Stig Kemi, SSC, Sweden

Year

2010

Abstract

Esrange Space Center located in northern Sweden has during 45 years been a leading launch site for both sounding rockets and stratospheric balloons. We have a unique combination of maintaining both stratospheric balloons and sounding rockets launch operations. Most balloon flights are normally handled inside Scandinavia but since 2005 semi-circular flights are performed with recovery in northern Canada. The Swedish Government and Swedish National Space Board are now finalizing an agreement with Russia for peaceful use of space, which will permit circumpolar balloon flights. Within this agreement we will soon be able to offer the science community long duration balloon flights with durations for several weeks.  
The balloon operations at Esrange Space Center are yearly expanding. Both NASA and CNES have long term plans for balloon flights from northern Sweden. We have also received a request from JAXA for future balloon missions. To handle balloon campaigns with large numbers of payloads or build up for two different campaigns a new big assembly hall will be ready for use at the beginning of 2011. We understand that a number of astronomical experiments are waiting for future circumpolar balloon flights offering measurements for more than two weeks.
The SUNRISE balloon borne solar telescope conducted in June 2009 a more than 4 days semi-circular balloon flight from Esrange Space Center with an impact in northern Canada. The Sunrise project was a collaborative project between the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research in Katlenburg-Lindau and partners in Germany, Spain and the USA. 
Another example is the PoGoLite balloon borne telescope studying the polarisation of gamma-rays from pulsars will after its maiden flight from Esrange Space Center in August be ready for future long duration circumpolar flights. The PoGoLite project is a collaborative project between Swedish, French, Japanese and US scientific teams.

Abstract document

IAC-10,A3,4,5,x8414.brief.pdf

Manuscript document

IAC-10,A3,4,5,x8414.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).

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