Complete list of stratospheric balloon launches by year, ordered chronologically, with flight details, specific payload, images, etc.
Detailed information and launch logs for main balloon launch facilities including balloon bases, airports, and ships around the world.
Ordered chronologically, detailed accounts of many balloon missions containing description of the payloads, details of the flight, pictures, videos and links to external references.
The stories that shaped scientific ballooning. Events and happenings, many of them memorable and epic, some others funny, a few curious or strange and even some tragedies.
Brief overview of those individuals, organizations, programs and events that had contributed to some extent to the development of scientific ballooning.
Remembering every month important events and dates of scientific ballooning history
In this edition:
World Balloon News is a somewhat regular bulletin containing balloon-related news of what's going on in the field, some speculation (fancy term for "insider data" from sources I can't reveal), historical images, and details about the new contents that week after week enrich this humble project.
Contents:
Left: The best picture of the Chinese balloon, taken by Frank Melliere above Illinois
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Launched from | In flight since | Payload or experiment | Last known status |
---|---|---|---|
Santa Fe County (NM) | 3/28/2024 | THUNDERHEAD FLIGHT 676 | STILL IN FLIGHT (AEROSTAR'S new endurance record) >>>> Follow the flight in real-time here |
Indiantown County (FL) | 4/22/2024 | THUNDERHEAD FLIGHT 684 | STILL IN FLIGHT (AEROSTAR'S 2nd endurance record) >>>> Follow the flight in real-time here |
Elizabeth City (NC) | 10/8/2024 | THUNDERHEAD FLIGHT 711 | Probably STILL IN FLIGHT >>>> Follow the flight in real-time here |
Hurley (SD) | 10/15/2024 | THUNDERHEAD FLIGHT 713 | STILL IN FLIGHT >>>> Follow the flight in real-time here |
Launch base | Date | Experiment | Flight duration |
---|---|---|---|
Baker Muni | 2024/8/4 | STRATO (Strategic Tactical Radio and Tactical Overwatch) | 34 d |
Fort Sumner (NM) | 2024/9/4 | HASP 2024 (High Altitude Student Platform) | 11 h 30 m |
Page (AZ) | 2024/8/31 | STRATOLLITE | 28 d |
Hurley (SD) | 2024/9/26 | PAYLOAD UNKNOWN | 9 h |
Fort Sumner (NM) | 2024/9/24 | DR-TES (Dilution Refrigerator Transition Edge Sensor) | 10 h |
Santa Fe County (NM) | 2024/9/3 | THUNDERHEAD FLIGHT 703 | 21 d 8 h |
Fort Sumner (NM) | 2024/9/23 | TIM (Terahertz Intensity Mapper) | 8 h |
Santa Fe County (NM) | 2024/9/3 | THUNDERHEAD FLIGHT 701 | 21 d 5 h |
Santa Fe County (NM) | 2024/9/3 | THUNDERHEAD FLIGHT 702 | 20 d 7 h |
Santa Fe County (NM) | 2024/9/2 | THUNDERHEAD FLIGHT 705 | 7 h 35 m |
MS Voyager | 2024/9/15 | NEPTUNE CAPSULE TEST #1 | 8 h |
Capitan (NM) | 2024/9/12 | THUNDERHEAD FLIGHT 707 | 18 h 20 m |
Capitan (NM) | 2024/9/12 | THUNDERHEAD FLIGHT 706 | 15 h |
Fort Sumner (NM) | 2024/8/31 | EXCITE (Exoplanet Climate Infrared Telescope) | 11 h |
Guelmim | 2024/8/7 | THUNDERHEAD FLIGHT N258TH | 2 h 15 m |
Cross City (FL) | 2024/6/27 | THUNDERHEAD FLIGHT 645 | 64 d 12 h |
Guelmim | 2024/8/8 | THUNDERHEAD FLIGHT 700 | 22 d 10 h |
Taiki | 2024/8/3 | BIOPAUSE PROJECT ATMOSPHERIC SAMPLER | 3 h |
Hurley (SD) | 2024/8/28 | THUNDERHEAD FLIGHT 704 | 26 h |
Fort Sumner (NM) | 2024/8/28 | HASP 2.0 (High Altitude Student Platform 2.0) | 6 h 35 m |
Cross City (FL) | 2024/6/25 | THUNDERHEAD FLIGHT 643 | 63 d 20 h |
Guelmim | 2024/8/7 | THUNDERHEAD FLIGHT 698 | 20 d 23 h |
Avon Park (FL) | 2024/6/22 | THUNDERHEAD FLIGHT 641 | 63 d 16 h |
Santa Cruz County (CA) | 2024/8/21 | PAYLOAD UNKNOWN | 11 h 20 m |
Fort Sumner (NM) | 2024/8/22 | SALTER TEST FLIGHT | 5 h 30 m |
Fort Sumner (NM) | 2024/8/21 | TINMAN (ThermalIzed Neutron MeAsuremeNt experiment) | 6 h 10 m |
Cross City (FL) | 2024/6/25 | THUNDERHEAD FLIGHT 642 | 38 d 13 h |
Roswell (NM) | 2024/8/15 | SCEYE- STRATOSPHERIC AIRSHIP | 29 h |
Page (AZ) | 2024/8/12 | TECHRISE STUDENT CHALLENGE | 5 h 40 m |
Taiki | 2024/7/4 | RERA #4 (Rubber balloon Experiment for Reentry capsule with thin-type Aeroshell) | ~ 2 h |
Taiki | 2024/7/25 | HIGH-PRECISION VERIFICATION OF GENERAL RELATIVITY BY LASER FREQUENCY COMPARISON | 1 h |
Hurley (SD) | 2024/7/16 | THUNDERHEAD FLIGHT 697 | 2 d 3 h |
ESRANGE | 2024/7/10 | SUNRISE III | 6 d 15 h |
ESRANGE | 2024/7/13 | BIG60 + BOOMS | 3 d 2 h |
ESRANGE | 2024/7/9 | XL-CALIBUR | 5 d 20 h |
Roswell (NM) | 2024/6/3 | SCEYE- STRATOSPHERIC AIRSHIP | 17 h 20 m |
Cross City (FL) | 2024/6/25 | THUNDERHEAD FLIGHT 644 | 4 d 14 h |
ESRANGE | 2024/5/28 | HELIX (High Energy Light Isotope eXperiment) | 6 d 8 h 27 m |
ESRANGE | 2024/6/26 | ATMOSFER | 11 h |
ESRANGE | 2024/6/22 | TRANSAT | 3 d 19 h |
Hurley (SD) | 2024/6/7 | THUNDERHEAD FLIGHT 688 | 13 d 11 h |
Santa Cruz County (CA) | 2024/6/19 | PAYLOAD UNKNOWN | 8 h 40 m |
Guam, Mariana Islands | 2024/6/10 | THUNDERHEAD FLIGHT 695 | 4 d |
Guam, Mariana Islands | 2024/6/10 | THUNDERHEAD FLIGHT 694 | 4 d |
ESRANGE | 2024/6/12 | SAPHERALLER | ~ 5 h |
Hurley (SD) | 2024/5/1 | THUNDERHEAD FLIGHT 685 | 46 h |
Spaceport Tucson (AZ) | 2024/5/22 | SCOUT-1 PARAGLIDER TEST | 2 h |
Santa Fe County (NM) | 2024/1/27 | THUNDERHEAD FLIGHT 673 | 111 d |
Hurley (SD) | 2024/5/14 | THUNDERHEAD FLIGHT 686 | 28 h |
Spaceport Tucson (AZ) | 2024/5/10 | STRATOLLITE - AETHER 2R | 63 h |