BIRT (Balloon-borne InfraRed Telescope)

Developed by Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS) / Kyoto University

Balloon launched on 8/27/1986, from Australian Balloon Launching Station, Alice Springs, Australia

Purpose of the flight and payload description

The instrument is composed by a 50 cm reflector telescope mounted on an alt-azimuthal pointing system actuated by a control moment gyro torquer in the azimuth. The pointing and tracking are accomplished by a unique offset guide system which utilizes a star tracker and a star field camera mounted on a two-axis offset gimbals. The motion of the gimbals is controlled by an on board CPU which computes and corrects the rotation rate of the offset direction caused by the celestial diurnal motion as well as the horizontal motion of the balloon gondola.

On the focal plane was mounted for this particular flight a Grating Spectrometer.

Details of the balloon flight

Balloon launched on: 8/27/1986
Launch site: Australian Balloon Launching Station, Alice Springs, Australia  
Balloon launched by: Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS)
Balloon manufacturer/size/composition: Zero Pressure Balloon model B30 30.000 m3
Flight identification number: B30-A9
End of flight (L for landing time, W for last contact, otherwise termination time): ??/??/1986
Balloon flight duration (F: time at float only, otherwise total flight time in d:days / h:hours or m:minutes - ): 11 h
 Payload weight: 1210 lbs.

External references

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