Details of the balloon and launch operations

Launch site: Longyearbyen Airport, Svalbard, Norway  
  Launch team: ISTAR (International Science Technology And Research
Balloon: Open balloon (zero pressure) 3000 m3
Serial number: -
Flight identification number: PATH-5
Campaign: Arctic LDB Program Development 2003designed to prove concept for launching larger Long Duration Balloons (LDB) in the future from Svalbard Islands
Payload weight: 3 kg
Gondola weight: -
Overall weight: -

The fifth pathfinder balloon called PATH-5 was launched on July 12th, at 10:50 UT.

It ascended up to only 1500 meters and by unknown reasons started to descend and landed in the sea.

Description of the payload or experiment

PATHFINDER - 5

Responsable institution:  Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (ASI) / ISTAR (International Science Technology And Research)
Principal Investigator:  Antonio Leonardio / Steven Peterzen

The balloon carried a payload of approximately 3 kg composed of a ARGOS transponder with a GPS board and a Lithium battery pack.

The flight plan called for the balloon reach float altitude and circumnavigate the polar region between 78 and 80 deg. N. Throught the GPS/ARGOS payload the trajectory would be traced showing the stratospheric circulation pattern of stratospheric winds, and providing information about diurnal excursions, and potential termination/impact locations for the future LDB flights.

Performance in flight and data obtained

This flight returned no usefull information due to early termination.

External references and bibliographical sources