GIANT NASA BALLOONS TAKE TO THE ANTARCTIC SKIES ON PIONEERING SCIENTIFIC MISSIONS
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| Image Credit AI Generated |
We already have all the information available, both at www.nasa.gov/missions and www.nasa.gov/scientificballoons, a campaign that begins this coming December and is characterized by the launch of three scientific balloons from the vicinity of McMurdo Station.
What makes these balloons special is their structure: they are zero pressure balloons, gigantic, comparable in size to a stadium. Its mission is to support five different investigations, and there is particularly high expectation surrounding one of them, which could break the current record of 55 days, 1 hour and 34 minutes< a i=4> in flight.
This year's star project is GUSTO, whose objective is nothing less than to map extensive areas of our galaxy, the Milky Way, as well like the nearby Large Magellanic Cloud. GUSTO, managed by the University of Arizona and supported by Johns Hopkins University, seeks not only to map, but also to better understand the interstellar medium, that mysterious space between stars, through the detection of carbon, oxygen and nitrogen emission lines.
No less interesting is the AESOP-Lite mission, which focuses on measuring cosmic electrons and positrons, comparing its findings with data collected by the Voyager I and II probes. On the other hand, LAURA represents a significant advance in balloon engineering, by using solar panels to extend the capacity of limited duration flights.
These balloons have a peculiarity: their open ducts allow gas to escape, avoiding an increase in internal pressure. This design is crucial to enable long-duration flights, especially in polar regions where the constant sunlight of the southern summer is an invaluable resource.
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NASA primarily uses two types of balloons in its Balloon Flight Program: zero-pressure balloons and super-pressure balloons. Each type has different characteristics that make them suitable for different types of scientific missions.
Zero Pressure Balloons
Zero pressure balloons are open at the bottom and have open ducts on the sides to allow gas to escape. This prevents the internal pressure of the balloon from increasing during the expansion of the gas as the balloon rises above the Earth's surface. The life of these balloons is limited due to gas loss, which occurs mainly due to the day and night cycle of the balloon.
Super Pressure Balloons
On the other hand, super-pressure balloons, or ULDBs (ultra long distance balloons), are completely sealed and have no open ducts. In these balloons, the gas cannot escape and pressure builds up as the gas expands. Because gas loss is minimal, these balloons can fly for longer periods than zero pressure balloons. They are nicknamed "Pumpkin" due to their shape.
Both types of balloons are made from a thin polyethylene film, similar in thickness to the plastic used to wrap sandwiches. The most common size of NASA balloons is 40 million cubic feet, a volume equivalent to more than 195 Goodyear blimps. When fully inflated, a football stadium could fit inside the balloon. Technicians inflate the balloons with helium gas, and they then float to altitudes of around 36 km, more than twice the height at which commercial airplanes fly.
NASA's Scientific Balloon Program, managed from the Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, is a monumental effort that includes between 10 and 15 flights annually from different points around the globe. The companies Peraton and Aerostar play a crucial role in this program, offering everything from mission planning to balloon manufacturing.
Through these balloons, windows are opened to unknown universes, and answers are obtained to questions that we did not even know existed, so it is better to be attentive to this great moment.
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