Data of the stratospheric balloon launched on 8/30/2007
For 37H (Technological Flight)

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Details of the balloon and launch operations


 
Launch site:Fort Sumner Municipal Airport, New Mexico, US  
Launch team: Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility (CSBF)
Balloon: Open balloon (zero pressure)
Volume: Raven - 37.000.000 cu ft
Serial number: -
Flight identification number: 572NT
Campaign: No Data 
Payload weight: 6000 lbs
Gondola weight: -
Overall weight: -

The balloon was launched by dynamic method assisted by launch vehicle on August 30 at 15:10 UTC. After a nominal ascent phase the balloon started to flight due west as can be seen in the map at right (click to enlarge). After a total flight time of 5 hours, 50 minutes, the balloon was terminated approximately 80 miles SW of the launch base. Recovery of the payload and balloon was completed on August 31.  

Images


Click to enlarge.

View of the gondola. It's basically a great ballast container. (Credit HASP)

While the sun breaks in the horizont, the CSBF team waits for launch confirmation (Credit: HASP)

Under an overcast sky the test balloon is ready to be launched (Credit HASP team)

The balloon was released and is moving to the launch vehicle to pickup the gondola (Credit: HASP team)

The balloon in his initial ascent phase before disapearing in the clouds (Credits: HASP team)

© HASP team

Description of the payload or experiment


37H (Technological Flight)
Responsable institution:  Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility (CSBF)
Principal Investigator:  Debora Ann Fairbrother

Flight qualification mission for the Stratofilm SF-450 / 37 "Heavy" balloon.  

Performance in flight and data obtained


According to the post flight report of the agency, the mission was an operations and science success, exceeding all preflight minimum requirements for the balloon and all test articles. The balloon performance was within specifications for inflation, launch, ascent, entry into float, and in float stability.

The termination used normal termination procedures, with the test ripstitch system operating in-line. The on-board video showed that the ripstitch system significantly reduced the parachute opening shock. The parachute was successfully separated by the SAPR (semi-automatic parachute release) system operating in the on-line mode, with the GAPR system also operating successfully in an off-line mode in parallel with the SAPR.

External references and bibliographical sources



If you detected mistakes in the information presented here, please tell me     (Updated on 5-Oct-2007 - 05:37:55pm)

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