NASA’s scientific flights are returning to Antarctica this December to launch a new long-duration balloon flight campaign, which will include a total of nine scientific missions. These investigations will cover key topics such as astrophysics, space biology, the heliosphere and the study of the upper atmosphere.
The flights will launch from a dedicated camp near McMurdo Station on the Ross Ice Shelf, a remote area ideal for such research.
Antarctica remains our primary site for long-duration balloon missions, and it is always exciting to return to this challenging environment.
“This is a very special event for NASA, and we are very excited to announce that we will be able to do this,” said Andrew Hamilton, acting manager of NASA’s Scientific Balloon Program.
The operations, which begin in December, are being carried out in collaboration with organizations including the U.S. National Science Foundation, the New Zealand government and the U.S. Air Force.
NASA science flights explore atmosphere and antimatter
This year’s campaign features two main experiments. The first is the General Anti-Particle Spectrometer (GAPS) , a project led by Columbia University that seeks to observe antimatter particles generated through interactions with dark matter.
Earth’s atmosphere prevents observation of these particles, so the suborbital mission is crucial to obtain accurate data. GAPS promises to offer new advances in the understanding of dark matter, one of the most complex mysteries in science.
The second major mission is the Salter Universal test flight, operated from NASA’s Science Balloon Facility in Texas. This flight will validate new balloon technologies, and will also support several complementary investigations, including the MARSBOx experiment that examines how certain microorganisms, such as the fungus Aspergillus niger, can survive extreme conditions similar to those on Mars. Another associated project is EMIDSS-6, which will collect data on the stratospheric atmosphere to improve our understanding of climate change.
NASA balloons analyze winds and ozone
The balloons used in the campaign are zero-pressure balloons , designed to withstand loads of up to 3,600 kilograms and to sustain prolonged flights in near space. Thanks to the stability of the winds and the constant light of the southern summer, these balloons can operate for days or even weeks , allowing for more extensive and precise data collection.
In addition to the main missions, the campaign includes a number of innovative piggyback missions. These include SPARROW-6, which will study stratospheric winds using ultrasonic sensors, and WALRUSS, which will analyse ultraviolet radiation and ozone concentrations.
NASA’s Scientific Balloon Program continues to play a vital role in atmospheric and near-space research, providing valuable data that contribute to crucial scientific studies of climate change and cosmic phenomena.
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Source and photos: NASA
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