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Super Pressure Balloon

Viewing Posts from April 2017

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    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 …

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    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 …

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    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 …

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    Launch Attempt Scheduled for Super Pressure Balloon

    COSI Launch

    NASA is targeting Saturday, April 8 (Friday, April 7 in Eastern Time), to conduct a super pressure balloon (SPB) test flight launching from Wanaka Airport, New Zealand, on a potential 100-day journey. NASA will begin flight preparations in the early morning hours Saturday and will continue to evaluate real-time and forecast weather conditions throughout the …

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    ‘Seal Team 6’: Constructing a Super Pressure Balloon

    SPB construction

    As the latest super pressure balloon (SPB) prepares to lift off from New Zealand, carrying the Extreme Universe Space Observatory-SPB (EUSO-SPB) payload, one may reflect back on how this balloon, the 6th iteration in the current model of long duration balloons, came to be and what goes into its construction — acres and acres of …

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