Suggested Searches

Blogs

    ICON Mission Update

    NASA is postponing launch of the Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON) until 2018. The mission was previously planned to launch Dec. 8, 2017, on an Orbital ATK Pegasus XL rocket from the Reagan Test Site on Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands. NASA and Orbital ATK need additional time to assess a separation component of the rocket. More …

    Read Full Post

    No Sleeping Back on Earth!

    image of 2 people standing under Pluto

    Today's blog is from Alan Stern of the Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, Colorado—principal investigator for NASA's New Horizons mission. Three weeks ago we put our New Horizons spacecraft into hibernation mode, the first time we'd done that since late 2014, before the Pluto flyby. By coincidence, that same day – April 7—was also the …

    Read Full Post

    Low Pressure System Thwarts Super Pressure Launch Efforts

    The Extreme Universe Space Observatory-Super Pressure Balloon payload is picked up and prepared for flight during a launch attempt April 10 from Wanaka Airport, New Zealand. NASA conducted three super pressure balloon launch attempts April 8 - 10 (New Zealand time), but had to stand down each day for various reasons related to weather, forecast trajectories, and maintenance. (NASA/Bill Rodman)

    Multiple areas of low pressure with associated precipitation and unfavorable winds have settled in over New Zealand preventing NASA from attempting a super pressure balloon launch from Wanaka over the next several days. "Conditions do not look favorable for the next four to five days given the winds, forecast rain, and uncertainties with Tropical Cyclone …

    Read Full Post

    Third Launch Attempt Scheduled for Super Pressure Balloon

    A scientific balloon is to the right, and appears as a plastic, upside down teardrop. A tube attached to the top of the balloon leads down to the ground. A crane to the left holds a large payload structure with many solar panels.

    UPDATE: (4:30 a.m. New Zealand Time). NASA Balloon Launch Attempt Postponed Due to Weather NASA postponed the third launch attempt of its super pressure balloon (SPB) from Wanaka, New Zealand, at 4:30 a.m. Monday, April 10 (New Zealand time) due to poor weather at ground and surface levels. Wind speeds were just slightly above those …

    Read Full Post

    NASA Postpones Super Pressure Balloon Launch

    Stratospheric Winds

    NASA postponed the scheduled launch of its super pressure balloon (SPB) from Wanaka, New Zealand, at 2 a.m. Saturday, April 8 (New Zealand time) due to unacceptable stratospheric weather conditions for operations. Along with monitoring ground and lower-level winds (up to 300 meters) on launch day, stratospheric wind conditions at 33.5 km (110,000 feet), which is …

    Read Full Post