The Mildura Airport (34°11'S, 142°10'E) located in the southeastern limit of the great Australian desert, in the State of Victoria was established in 1942 as the largest training facility in Australia for fighter pilots of the Royal Australian Air Force during World War II. After the war the airport facilities were used as a campus for the University of Melbourne, and later as a Migrant Centre, most of them employed on horticultural properties around the Mildura area.

station and airport scheme

In 1960 the Atomic Energy Comission (AEC) of the United States developed a stratospheric air and dust sampling program in the southern hemisphere to study the levels of radioactive elements injected in the stratosphere by the many atomic experiments made by that country in the Pacific Ocean since 1949. Thus the Department of Supply (DOS) of the Australian government under that directive and following an agreement at the Federal Government level, established in 1960 the Australian Balloon Launching Station (ABLS) at the facilities of the local airport in Mildura. At left can be seen the layout of the balloon launch site (clicking to enlarge).

The winds regime on the region is charcterized by a constant westward blow between September and March and viceversa between April and August, while there is a quiet period knowkn as "turnaround" in March and September/October, where it was possible to develop long-duration flights with little balloon displacement. The crew that carried out the launch operations was composed only by local people whom were trained in the art of stratospheric ballooning. The program counted with a launch vehicle (hence the use of the dynamic method) and a Piper Aztec plane transporting a Radio Command System, a receiver/indicator for the balloon beacon, a telemetry receiver and a communication system to talk to the base station and recovery vehicles (mainly land rovers 4x4).

Actual view of the MILDURA airport nowadays

The program was widely know as HIBAL (High Altitude Balloons) and as ocurred in the United States with Navy's "Skyhook" balloon program, often that denomination was used to point to any balloon mission in Australia, regardless it was part of the sampling program or not. The standard payload for these atmospheric monitoring flights consisted of a dust sample gathering system weighting around 450 lb. The samples were collected at predetermined float altitudes between 40.000 and 135.000 feet, in standard flight profiles ranging from 20 minutes to 4 hours of leveled flight. The maximum balloon volume then used was 10.6 million cubic feet. From time to time, additional piggyback payloads consisting of small scientific instruments were carried along the sampling apparatus on benefit of several institutions from Australia, mainly Universities.

In all, more than 600 of these flights took place until the agreement closing in 1966. Nevertheless far from ending, following an exchange of notes between the Governments of the U.S. and Australia that same year, Project Hibal was extended for three further years. At that time, scientific groups from several countries, realizing the potential of Australia as an excellent site for ballooning, became increasingly interested in making flights from various locations within the continent. The southerly latitude, combined with the large land mass in the east-west direction could yield extended observation times of astrophysical sources in the Galactic Centre region.

Thus, the activity continued although the sampling effort suffered a sharp reduction in the frequency of flights. Nevertheless, the new agreement included the extension of the operations to other sites than Mildura, and the availability of the launch facilities for use by other agencies in support of basic research into atmospheric phenomena.

In that context near 150 flights were carried out between 1967 and 1980 from Mildura and alternate sites like Longreach, Broken Hill and Alice Spring, with payloads in the fields of gamma ray, X-ray and infrared astronomy, and cosmic ray physics. The launches in other places than Mildura were carried out during several remote campaigns each year using vehicles and personel from the station that were sent yo each launch site by rail or road.

In the middle of the 70's decade, funding problems endangered the continuation of the operations at Mildura. At the time the United States was the only country that contributed paying a third of the running costs, while Australia was responsible for the remaining two thirds. The rest of the users only paid the material costs (balloon, helium and so on) of each launch. The first attempt to get Britain (at that time the second main foreign user) to pay one third of the running costs in 1976 failed after Science Research Council claimed lack of funds for that purpose. By the end of the decade the Government of Australia arguing that it was subsidizing foreign astronomers whose governments do not paid an economic fee to alleviate the high cost of operation of the site, threatened to close it. Also the need of modernization of the equipment (the same used since the start of the operations almost 20 years before) was another factor that urged the seek of fresh funds.

Actual view of the MILDURA airport nowadays

By 1980 Vic Hopper of the Physics Department of the University of Melbourne who was especially active in promoting the use of balloons since the early 60's made a proposal to Britain and the United States about the sharing of the running costs between the five principal users, which was preliminarily accepted by both countries. The new proposal appealed to Britain in particular because the cost would be shared by more countries, as Germany and Japan were regular users of the facilities since 1977. The plan also contempled the possibility for each country to help to up-date the equipment by providing their own, which was welcomed by United States and Germany that considered providing a better launch truck for heavier balloons while Britain offered to provide an improved kilobit telemetry link from its abandoned Skylark rocket program. Nevertheless, the proposal was never realized, and due to the lack of funding the government finally closed the ABLS Mildura in 1981.

In all, a total of 751 balloons were launched there.

Mildura is today Victoria's largest and busiest regional airport, servicing over 180,000 airline passengers yearly from around 6,800 regular passenger transport aircraft movements. There are a further 6,200 general aviation aircraft movements which include a regular air freight service, charter, flight training, air ambulance, refuelling and stop-over visits by military aircraft.

Table of balloons launched from Mildura

DateHourFlight DurationExperimentPayload landing place or cause of the failure
12/17/1960 ---ASHCAN46 miles N of Mildura, Australia
12/20/1960 ---ASHCAN18 miles NE of Mildura, Australia
1/9/1961 ---ASHCAN25 miles NNW of Mildura, Australia
1/13/1961 ---ASHCANNear Prungle Station, Victoria, Australia
1/17/1961 ---ASHCAN108 miles W of Mildura, Australia
1/20/1961 ---ASHCAN76 miles NNE of Mildura, Australia
2/2/1961 ---ASHCAN30 miles NE of Mildura, Australia
2/7/1961 ---ASHCAN66 miles ESE of Mildura, Australia
2/9/1961 ---ASHCAN47 miles NE of Mildura, Australia
2/14/19615:40 local---ASHCAN48 miles NNW of Mildura, Australia
2/16/1961 ---ASHCAN74 miles SSW of Mildura, Australia
3/1/1961 ---ASHCANBalloon continued flying after separation. Payload landed 42 miles NE of Mildura, Australia
3/3/1961 ---ASHCAN91 miles NNE of Mildura, Australia
3/7/1961 ---ASHCAN45 miles N of Mildura, Australia
3/9/1961 ---ASHCANBalloon continued flying after separation. Payload landed 33 miles E of Mildura, Australia
3/16/19616:15 local---ASHCANBalloon continued flying after separation. Payload landed 92 miles W of Mildura, Australia
4/11/1961 ---ASHCANBalloon continued flying after separation. Payload landed 60 miles E of Mildura, Australia
4/12/1961 ---ASHCANBalloon failure at launch
4/12/1961 ---ASHCAN97 miles ESE of Mildura, Australia
4/14/19616:45 EST---ASHCANFailed flight. Payload landed 22 miles SE of Mildura, Australia
4/17/1961 ---ASHCAN57 miles NE of Mildura, Australia
4/19/1961 ---ASHCAN38 miles SE of Mildura, Australia
4/21/1961 ---ASHCAN81 miles NE of Mildura, Australia
5/4/19617:10 EST---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
5/10/19617:33 EST---ASHCAN14 miles from Garnpang Station, Victoria, Australia
5/15/19617:26 EST---ASHCANNear Ivanhoe, New South Wales, Australia
6/8/1961 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
6/13/1961 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
6/15/1961 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
6/20/1961 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
6/22/1961 ---ASHCANPremature detachment of the payload which landed near Pooncarie, Australia. Balloon kept floating and was not recovered.
6/27/1961 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
7/4/1961 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
7/7/1961 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
7/11/1961 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
7/13/1961 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
7/18/19619:11 local5 h 19 mASHCAN37 miles E of Hay, Australia
8/1/1961 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
8/3/1961 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
8/8/1961 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
8/11/19617:02 local3 hASHCANIn Till Till Station, New South Wales, Australia
8/17/1961 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
9/7/1961 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
9/13/1961 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
9/15/19617:11 local---ASHCANBalloon failure at 4000 ft. Payload landed 300 yards from two houses in Mildura South.
9/19/19616:47 EST3 hASHCAN + PHOTOGRAPHIC PLATES95 miles E of Mildura, Victoria, Australia
9/21/19616:37 EST3 h 30 mASHCAN + PHOTOGRAPHIC PLATES49 miles NE of Mildura, Victoria, Australia
9/27/19616:30 EST2 h 24 mASHCAN + PHOTOGRAPHIC PLATESBalloon burst. Payload recovered undamaged 58 miles E of Mildura, Victoria, Australia
11/3/1961 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
11/8/1961 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
11/10/1961 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
11/11/1961 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
11/20/1961 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
11/23/1961 ---ASHCANBalloon faiulre at 19.000 ft due to icing
11/27/1961 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
11/29/1961 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
11/30/1961 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
12/1/1961 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
12/4/1961 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
12/9/1961 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
12/11/1961 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
12/12/1961 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
12/18/1961 ---ASHCANFailure of the termination device. Payload not recovered
12/20/1961 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
1/18/1962 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
1/22/1962 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
1/24/1962 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
1/25/1962 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
2/2/1962 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
2/6/1962 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
2/8/1962 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
2/15/1962 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
2/16/1962 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
2/21/1962 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
3/3/1962 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
3/6/1962 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
3/8/1962 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
3/14/1962 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
3/16/1962 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
4/2/1962 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
4/5/1962 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
4/6/1962 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
4/10/1962 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
4/12/1962 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
4/17/1962 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
5/2/1962 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
5/4/1962 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
5/10/1962 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
5/11/1962 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
5/15/1962 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
5/24/1962 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
6/11/1962 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
6/13/1962 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
6/15/1962 ---ASHCANBalloon burst
6/27/1962 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
6/28/1962 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
7/3/1962 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
7/10/1962 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
7/11/1962 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
7/27/1962 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
8/10/1962 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
8/14/1962 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
8/16/1962 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
8/31/1962 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
9/18/1962 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
9/20/1962 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
9/25/1962 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
9/28/1962 ---ASHCANNear Yunta, South Australia
10/10/1962 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
10/11/1962 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
10/15/1962 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
10/26/1962 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
11/1/1962 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
11/8/1962 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
11/13/1962 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
12/4/1962 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
12/6/1962 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
12/12/1962 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
12/13/19626:15 EST---ASHCANNear Kingston, South Australia
1/17/1963 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
1/22/1963 ---ASHCAN2 miles off-shore Cowell, in Spencers Gulf, Australia
1/24/1963 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
1/30/1963 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
2/5/1963 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
2/7/1963 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
2/12/1963 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
2/14/1963 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
3/5/1963 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
3/15/1963 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
3/19/1963 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
3/21/1963 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
4/2/1963 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
4/4/1963 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
4/8/1963 1 hASHCANBalloon leaked one hour into the flight
4/10/1963 1 hASHCANBalloon burst at 65.000 ft
4/23/1963 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
5/2/19638:10---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
5/4/1963 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
5/16/1963 ---ASHCANBalloon burst at 88.000 ft
6/24/1963 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
6/25/1963 ---ASHCANBalloon burst at 87.000 ft
6/26/1963 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
6/27/1963 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
7/24/1963 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
7/26/1963 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
8/8/1963 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
8/9/1963 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
8/20/1963 ---ASHCANBalloon burst at 85.000 ft
9/18/1963 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
9/19/19636:40 local5 hASHCANWarrananga Station, Victoria, Australia
9/20/1963 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
9/27/1963 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
10/10/1963 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
10/15/1963 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
10/17/1963 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
10/24/1963 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
11/8/1963 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
11/12/1963 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
11/14/1963 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
11/20/1963 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
12/3/1963 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
12/4/1963 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
12/5/1963 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
12/12/1963 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
12/12/1963 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
1/16/1964 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
1/21/1964 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
1/22/1964 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
1/23/1964 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
2/4/1964 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
2/6/1964 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
2/18/1964 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
2/20/1964 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
3/3/1964 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
3/6/1964 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
3/11/1964 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
3/17/1964 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
4/6/1964 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
4/10/1964 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
4/15/1964 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
4/16/1964 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
5/5/1964 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
5/7/1964 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
5/14/1964 ---ASHCANBalloon burst at 80.000 ft
5/14/1964 ---ASHCANBalloon burst at 80.000 ft
5/18/1964 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
5/19/1964 ---ASHCANBalloon burst at 90.000 ft
5/20/1964 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
5/27/1964 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
5/28/1964 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
5/29/1964 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
6/2/1964 ---ASHCANIn Billabong, Victoria, Australia
6/4/1964 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
6/5/1964 ---ASHCANIn Lamplough Station, Victoria, Australia
7/9/1964 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
7/27/1964 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
7/29/1964 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
7/30/1964 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
8/11/1964 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
8/19/1964 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
8/21/1964 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
8/26/1964 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
9/2/1964 ---ASHCANBalloon leaking at 93.000 ft
9/17/1964 ---ASHCANBalloon burst at 81.000 ft
9/24/1964 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
9/25/1964 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
9/29/1964 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
9/30/1964 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
10/19/1964 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
10/21/1964 ---ASHCANBalloon burst at 57.000 ft
10/22/1964 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
10/27/1964 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
10/28/1964 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
11/10/1964 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
11/12/1964 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
11/17/1964 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
11/20/1964 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
12/8/1964 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
12/9/1964 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
12/10/1964 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
12/15/1964 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
12/16/1964 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
1/19/1965 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
1/21/1965 ---ASHCANBalloon burst at 81.000 ft
1/22/1965 ---ASHCANGradual descent from 81.000 ft. Failed flight
1/26/1965 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
1/27/1965 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
1/28/1965 ---ASHCANFloated at 101.000 ft two hours and then began to descent.
2/4/19656:17 local---ASHCANN of Renmark, South Australia
2/9/1965 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
2/11/1965 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
2/16/1965 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
2/18/1965 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
2/25/1965 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
3/??/1965 ---PAYLOAD UNKNOWN--- No Data ---
3/2/1965 ---ASHCANMurray River, Renmark, South Australia
3/4/1965 ---ASHCANBalloon burst at 50.000 ft
3/10/1965 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
3/11/1965 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
3/16/1965 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
3/31/1965 6 hASHCAN - LVIC (Large Volume Impactor Collector)33 miles from Mildura, Australia
4/1/1965 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
4/6/1965 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
4/8/1965 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
4/13/1965 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
5/4/1965 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
5/6/1965 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
5/25/19658:00 local---ASHCANFound a month later in Prungle Station. Payload burned
6/16/1965 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
6/17/1965 ---ASHCANBalloon burst before reach float altitude
6/23/1965 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
6/25/1965 ---ASHCANBalloon burst before reach float altitude
7/6/1965 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
7/9/1965 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
7/25/1965 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
8/26/1965 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
10/5/1965 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
10/10/1965 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
10/27/1965 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
11/15/1965 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
11/16/1965 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
11/18/1965 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
12/8/1965 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
12/9/1965 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
12/16/1965 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
1/18/1966 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
1/20/1966 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
1/27/1966 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
2/8/1966 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
2/10/1966 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
2/15/1966 ---ASHCANBalloon failed at 31.000 ft. Payload recovered with damage 10 miles NW of Benanee, Australia
2/25/19666:39 local---ASHCAN22 Nautic Miles NNW of Morgan, Australia
3/1/1966 ---ASHCANBalloon failed at 58.000 ft.
3/7/1966 ---ASHCANBalloon failed at 65.000 ft.
3/10/1966 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
3/17/1966 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
3/22/1966 ---ASHCANBalloon failed at 87.500 ft.
3/24/1966 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
4/5/1966 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
4/14/1966 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
4/19/1966 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
4/27/1966 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
5/6/1966 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
5/10/1966 ---ASHCANBalloon failed at 37.200 ft.
5/12/1966 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
6/7/1966 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
6/9/1966 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
6/17/1966 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
7/12/1966 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
7/28/1966 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
8/4/1966 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
8/28/1966 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
9/7/1966 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
9/22/1966 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
9/26/1966 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
10/1/1966 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
10/4/1966 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
10/20/1966 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
10/27/1966 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
10/28/1966 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
12/10/1966 ---GAMMA RAY SPARK CHAMBER--- No Data ---
12/15/1966 ---X-RAY DETECTOR--- No Data ---
12/18/1966 ---X-RAY DETECTOR--- No Data ---
12/21/19666:29 EST---ASHCAN + OZONE SONDE200 km W of Mildura, Australia
1/18/1967 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
1/20/1967 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
2/12/1967 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
2/15/1967 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
2/20/1967 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
3/10/1967 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
3/14/1967 6 hSPARK CHAMBER--- No Data ---
3/17/1967 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
3/20/1967 1 hSPARK CHAMBERBalloon burst at 70.000 ft. Free fall of the payload
3/22/1967 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
3/29/1967 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
4/6/1967 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
4/11/1967 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
4/13/1967 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
5/2/1967 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
5/4/1967 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
5/9/1967 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
6/15/1967 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
7/2/1967 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
9/5/1967 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
9/7/1967 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
9/9/1967  SPARK CHAMBER--- No Data ---
9/22/1967 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
9/25/1967 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
9/27/1967 3 hSPARK CHAMBER--- No Data ---
9/28/1967 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
10/15/1967 ---X-RAY DETECTOR--- No Data ---
10/23/1967 1 hSPARK CHAMBERBalloon burst at 78.000 ft.
10/24/1967 ---X-RAY DETECTOR--- No Data ---
11/1/1967 8 hSPARK CHAMBER--- No Data ---
11/10/1967 5 hSPARK CHAMBER--- No Data ---
11/23/1967 1 hSPARK CHAMBERBalloon burst at 92.000 ft.
2/29/19684:15 EAT---X-RAY OBSERVATORY--- No Data ---
3/21/1968 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
3/26/1968 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
3/28/1968 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
4/23/196812:25 utc10 h 30 mGAMMA RAY DETECTOR--- No Data ---
5/6/19686:30 utc8 h 50 mGAMMA RAY DETECTOR200 miles from Mildura, Victoria, Australia
6/13/1968 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
7/10/1968 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
7/15/1968 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
7/18/1968 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
9/13/1968 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
11/11/1968 ---ASHCAN + CAMERA--- No Data ---
3/5/1969 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
3/6/1969 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
3/13/1969 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
3/14/1969 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
3/19/1969 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
3/20/1969 ---X-RAY TELESCOPE--- No Data ---
3/26/1969 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
4/16/1969 F 16 hX-RAY TELESCOPELost on the Tasmanian Sea. Apperared nine months later on a beach in New Zealand.
4/27/1969 ---X-RAY DETECTORS--- No Data ---
6/24/1969 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
6/26/1969 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
7/8/1969 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
7/10/1969 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
8/25/1969 ---X-RAY DETECTOR--- No Data ---
8/29/1969 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
9/5/1969 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
9/9/1969 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
9/26/1969 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
10/23/1969 F 6 hGAMMA RAY TELESCOPE--- No Data ---
11/16/1969 30 hPAYLOAD UNKNOWN--- No Data ---
11/26/1969 ---PAYLOAD UNKNOWN--- No Data ---
12/4/1969 9 hPAYLOAD UNKNOWN--- No Data ---
1/22/1970 ---ASHCAN + RADIOMETERS--- No Data ---
1/28/1970 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
1/29/1970 ---ASHCAN + RADIOMETERS--- No Data ---
2/6/1970 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
2/21/1970 ---ASHCAN + RADIOMETERS--- No Data ---
2/26/1970 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
2/27/1970 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
3/9/1970 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
3/11/1970 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
3/13/1970 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
3/25/197013:52 utcF 11 h 20 mGAMMA RAY TELESCOPE--- No Data ---
6/8/1970 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
6/9/1970 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
6/23/1970 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
7/2/1970 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
7/7/1970 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
9/16/1970 ---ASHCANBalloon Failure
9/17/1970 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
9/18/1970 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
9/29/1970 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
10/2/1970 ---ASHCANBalloon failure
10/15/1970 10 hX-RAY DETECTOR--- No Data ---
11/7/1970 ~ 1 hX-RAY DETECTORBalloon failure at 40.000 ft
11/21/1970  PAYLOAD UNKNOWNGround abort
11/22/1970 13 hPAYLOAD UNKNOWN--- No Data ---
12/8/1970 11 h 25 mPAYLOAD UNKNOWN--- No Data ---
12/12/1970 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
12/13/1970 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
12/15/1970 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
12/19/1970 ---X-RAY STUDIES--- No Data ---
3/11/1971 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
3/17/1971 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
3/18/1971 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
3/23/1971 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
3/24/1971 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
4/2/1971 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
4/5/1971 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
6/9/1971 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
6/10/1971 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
6/16/1971 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
6/25/1971 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
10/5/1971 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
10/12/1971 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
10/13/1971 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
1/14/1972 4 h 20 mASHCAN + HIGH ALTITUDE DUST LAYERS PHOTOGRAPHY--- No Data ---
1/15/1972 5 h 50 mASHCAN + HIGH ALTITUDE DUST LAYERS PHOTOGRAPHY--- No Data ---
1/17/1972 5 hASHCAN--- No Data ---
5/3/1972 7 hASHCAN + HIGH ALTITUDE DUST LAYERS PHOTOGRAPHY--- No Data ---
5/5/1972 ~7 hASHCAN + HIGH ALTITUDE DUST LAYERS PHOTOGRAPHY--- No Data ---
5/9/1972 ~6 hASHCAN + HIGH ALTITUDE DUST LAYERS PHOTOGRAPHY--- No Data ---
5/11/1972 5 h 30 mASHCAN + HIGH ALTITUDE DUST LAYERS PHOTOGRAPHY--- No Data ---
6/5/1972 6 h 10 mASHCAN--- No Data ---
6/6/1972 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
7/26/1972 4 h 30 mASHCAN + HIGH ALTITUDE DUST LAYERS PHOTOGRAPHY--- No Data ---
7/28/1972 6 h 30 mASHCAN + HIGH ALTITUDE DUST LAYERS PHOTOGRAPHY--- No Data ---
8/8/1972 6 h 30 mASHCAN + HIGH ALTITUDE DUST LAYERS PHOTOGRAPHY--- No Data ---
8/17/1972 6h 30mASHCAN--- No Data ---
8/24/1972 3 h 30 mACOUSTIC ECHO SOUNDER (RADAR)--- No Data ---
10/13/1972 2 h 15 mAEROSOL COUNTER--- No Data ---
10/14/1972 6hASHCAN--- NO DATA ---
10/18/1972 6h 30mASHCAN--- No Data ---
10/19/1972 4h 45mASHCAN--- No Data ---
1/16/1973 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
1/17/1973 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
1/23/1973 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
3/5/1973 ---AEROSOL COUNTER--- No Data ---
4/3/1973 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
4/4/1973 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
4/6/1973 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
4/10/1973 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
4/12/1973 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
8/21/1973 ---ASHCAN + RADIOMETER--- No Data ---
8/24/1973 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
9/6/1973 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
9/15/1973 ---AEROSOL COUNTER--- No Data ---
10/8/1973 ---ASHCAN + RADIOMETER--- No Data ---
10/12/1973 ---ASHCAN + RADIOMETER--- No Data ---
10/17/1973 ---ASHCAN + RADIOMETER + AEROSOLS--- No Data ---
1/22/1974 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
2/4/1974 ---RADIOMETER--- No Data ---
2/5/1974 ---ASHCAN--- No Data ---
9/25/1974 ---JET IMPACTOR SAMPLER--- No Data ---
11/29/1974 ---JET IMPACTOR SAMPLER--- No Data ---
12/3/1974 ---JET IMPACTOR SAMPLER--- No Data ---
2/5/1975 ---RADIOMETER--- No Data ---
2/7/1975 ---JET IMPACTOR SAMPLER--- No Data ---
2/10/1975 ---JET IMPACTOR SAMPLER--- No Data ---
3/4/1975 ---JET IMPACTOR SAMPLER--- No Data ---
4/2/1975 ---JET IMPACTOR SAMPLER--- No Data ---
4/3/1975 ---AEROSOL COUNTER--- No Data ---
5/2/1975 ---JET IMPACTOR SAMPLER--- No Data ---
5/27/1975 ---RADIOMETER--- No Data ---
5/28/1975 ---JET IMPACTOR SAMPLER--- No Data ---
5/30/1975 ---JET IMPACTOR SAMPLER + RADIOMETER--- No Data ---
8/5/1975 ---JET IMPACTOR SAMPLER--- No Data ---
9/24/1975 ---JET IMPACTOR SAMPLER--- No Data ---
9/26/1975 ---AEROSOL COUNTER + RADIOMETER--- No Data ---
12/10/1975 ---RADIOMETER--- No Data ---
12/12/1975 ---AEROSOL COUNTER--- No Data ---
1/28/1976 ---RADIOMETER--- No Data ---
1/29/1976 ---AEROSOL COUNTER--- No Data ---
5/26/1976 ---AEROSOL COUNTER--- No Data ---
6/2/1976 ---RADIOMETER--- No Data ---
9/9/1976 ---AEROSOL COUNTER--- No Data ---
9/14/1976 ---RADIOMETER--- No Data ---
11/11/197619:25 utc3 h 15 mAEROSOL COUNTER + RADIOMETER--- No Data ---
1/25/1977 ---RADIOMETER--- No Data ---
2/4/1977 ---AEROSOL COUNTER--- No Data ---
5/12/1977 ---RADIOMETER--- No Data ---
7/14/1977 ---AEROSOL COUNTER--- No Data ---
8/2/1977 ---AEROSOL COUNTER--- No Data ---
9/6/1977 ---RADIOMETER--- No Data ---
12/11/197719:57 utc2 h 48 mNO2 MEASUREMENTS--- No Data ---
12/13/197719:59 utc4 h 26 mNO2 MEASUREMENTS--- No Data ---
12/16/1977 ---AEROSOL COUNTER--- No Data ---
2/13/1978 ---AEROSOL COUNTER--- No Data ---
4/24/1978 ---INFRARED TELESCOPE--- No Data ---
5/31/1978 ---RADIOMETER--- No Data ---
8/28/1978 ---RADIOMETER--- No Data ---
9/28/1978 ---AEROSOL COUNTER--- No Data ---
11/23/1978 ---AEROSOL COUNTER--- No Data ---
1/16/1979 1h 58mPAYLOAD UNKNOWN--- No Data ---
5/9/197921:23 utc4 h 5 mRADIOMETER--- No Data ---
5/15/197917:44 utc5 h 30 mMEASUREMENTS OF NO, HNO3 AND OZONE--- No Data ---
5/17/197922:00 utc2 h 5 mRADIOMETER--- No Data ---
5/30/1979 3hPAYLOAD UNKNOWN--- No Data ---
6/1/1979 1h 40mPAYLOAD UNKNOWN--- No Data ---
6/4/1979 1h 50mPAYLOAD UNKNOWN--- No Data ---
8/14/1979 ---AEROSOL COUNTER--- No Data ---
9/9/1979 14 h 30 mPAYLOAD UNKNOWN--- No Data ---
9/14/1979 2h 15mPAYLOAD UNKNOWN--- No Data ---
9/18/1979 5 hPAYLOAD UNKNOWN--- No Data ---
9/18/197920:56 utc3 h 10 mRADIOMETER--- No Data ---
10/13/197921:09 utc2 hRADIOMETER--- No Data ---
10/15/197917:19 utc5 hAEROSOL COUNTER--- No Data ---
10/25/19795:06 utc~ 6 hPAYLOAD UNKNOWN--- No Data ---
4/13/19807:02 utc14h 15mINFRARED TELESCOPE--- No Data ---

If you consider that this website is interesting or useful, you can help to keep it running with just the equivalent of the price of a cup of coffee. Click on the button on the right for more information.