MAX (Millimeter wavelength Anisotropy eXperiment)

A gondola (UCSB's Advanced Cosmic Microwave Explorer (ACME) gondola) houses the MAX experiment including the telescope optics, a millimeter-wave receiver, and a system for pointing the telescope.

MAX rapidly compares two different points on the sky by mechanical modulation of the secondary mirror. Anisotropy in the CMB gives a measured "temperature difference" between these two points on the sky. MAX scans several sky regions in one night of observation. In sky regions that are free of galactic interference MAX measures anisotropy in the temperature of the 2.73 degree Kelvin CMB of roughly three parts in 100,000.

A four frequency band photometer allows discrimination of the CMB from galactic interference based on differences in spectra.

An Adiabatic Demagnetization Refrigerator (ADR) cools the bolometric detectors to below 100 mK, giving high sensitivity.

Balloon launched on: 6/4/1991 at 0:48 utc
Launch site: Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility, Palestine, Texas, US  
Balloon launched by: National Scientific Balloon Facility (NSBF)
Balloon manufacturer/size/composition: Zero Pressure Balloon SF3-317.60-080-NSCH-02-ST
Balloon serial number: W11.82-1-09
Flight identification number: 1500P
End of flight (L for landing time, W for last contact, otherwise termination time): 6/4/1991 at 13:13 utc
Balloon flight duration (F: time at float only, otherwise total flight time in d:days / h:hours or m:minutes - ): F 9 h 18 m
Landing site: 20 miles SE of Abilene, Texas, US

• MAX website at Berkeley University server (via Archive.Org)
• A degree scale anisotropy measurement of the cosmic microwave background near the star Gamma Ursae Minoris Astrophysical Journal, Part 2 - Letters, vol. 413, no. 1, p. L1
• Measurements of the millimeter-wave spectrum of interstellar dust emission Astrophysical Journal, Part 1, vol. 444, no. 1, p. 226-230
• NASA Balloon Flights (1989-1998) in NASA Historical Data Book, Vol. VII: NASA Launch Systems, Space Transportation, Human Spaceflight, and Space Science, 1989-1998
• Preliminary results from the third flight of the Millimeter Anisotropy Experiment (MAX). Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1993 June 1; 90(11): 4774-4776.
• Results from the Third Flight of the Millimeter-Wave Anisotropy Experiment  Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1993, Vol. 688, Pag, 809
• The advanced cosmic microwave explorer - A millimeter-wave telescope and stabilized platform Astrophysical Journal, Part 1, vol. 406, no. 1, p. 12-25
• The Millimeter Wave Anisotropy Experiment (MAX) Astrophysical Letters and Communications, Vol. 32, p.223