SMILE (Sub-MeV Gamma-Ray Imaging Loaded-on-Balloon Experiment)

Balloon launched on: 9/1/2006 at 6:11 jst
Launch site: Sanriku Balloon Center, Iwate, Japan  
Balloon launched by: Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS) / Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)
Balloon manufacturer/size/composition: Zero Pressure Balloon model B100 100.000 m3
Flight identification number: B100-16
End of flight (L for landing time, W for last contact, otherwise termination time): 9/1/2006 at 13:20 jst
Balloon flight duration (F: time at float only, otherwise total flight time in d:days / h:hours or m:minutes - ): 7 h 38 m
Landing site: In the Pacific Ocean

The balloon was launched by semi-dynamic method from the Sanriku Balloon Center, on September 1, 2006 at 6:11 Japan Standard Time (JST). The flight path is shown in the map at right (click to enlarge)

At 8:56, the balloon reached an altitude of 35 km and began level flight until 10:15, developing an eastward path. Then from 11:20 to 13:00, the flight altitude was lowered to 32 km and the balloon started a westward flight path.

During level flight between 8:56 and 13:00, were performed the scientific observations.

At 12:59 the payload was turned off and by 13:20 the gondola was separated from the balloon being amerizing at 13:45 and being recovered at 14:32.

• SMILE project website Kyoto University
• Development of Advanced Compton Imaging Camera with Gaseous Electron Tracker and First Flight of Sub-MeV Gamma-Ray Imaging Loaded-on-Balloon Experiment Ph.D Thesis by Atsushi Takada, Kyoto University, 2007
• Information on the balloon flights performed during 2006 (In Japanese) ISAS Annual Report, 2006
• Observation for the celestial sub-MeV and MeV gamma rays by Electron Tracking Compton Camera (In Japanese) JAXA Research and Development Report: Research Reports on High Altitude Balloons, JAXA-RR-07-009 (2008)
• Observation of Diffuse Cosmic and Atmospheric Gamma Rays at Balloon Altitudes with an Electron-tracking Compton Camera The Astrophysical Journal , 733:13, 2011
• Observation of diffuse gamma-ray with Electron-Tracking Compton imaging camera loaded on balloon 2007 IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium Conference Record, 2007, p. 2558
• The Observation of Diffuse Cosmic and Atmospheric Gamma Rays with an Electron-Tracking Compton Camera Loaded on a Balloon J. Phys. Soc. Jpn. 78, pp. 161-164 (2009)