Purpose of the flight and payload description

The payload was composed by a omni-directional scintillation detector One of the aims of this experiment was to observe any possible enhancements to the low-energy atmospheric photon flux induced by the passage of the Ikeya-Seki comet. The detector consisted of a cylindrical sodium-iodide (thallium doped) scintillator of diameter 5 inches and depth 0.5 inches, yielding a geometric factor for anisotropic flux of 76.2 cm2. The axis of the detector was vertical, and a 5 inches photomultiplier tube observed the scintillations from below.

Details of the balloon flight

Balloon launched on: 10/20/1965 at 13:00 cst
Launch site: Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility, Palestine, Texas, US  
Balloon launched by: Graduate Research Center of the Southwest (GRCSW)
Balloon manufacturer/size/composition: Zero Pressure Balloon Raven 100.000 cuft (0.75 MIL.)
Flight identification number: 178P
End of flight (L for landing time, W for last contact, otherwise termination time): 10/20/1965
Payload weight: 25 lbs

The balloon was launched at 13:00 cst, on October 20, 1965 from the Palestine balloon base using the hutch-clutch system. Operations were performed by a team from the Graduate Research Center of the Southwest (GRCSW). Post flight analysis of the data obtained yielded no significant effects on the atmospheric photon flux.

External references

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.



3851