ELBBO (Extended Life Balloon Borne Observatories Program)

Developed by University of Washington (UW)

Balloon launched on 11/30/1992, from Dunedin, New Zealand

Purpose of the flight and payload description

The ELBBO experiment was carried out to investigate electrodynamic and plasma processes including ionospheric convection, global current distribution, middle atmosphere generators and tropospheric sources including thunderstorms.

The balloons were launched from Dunedin, New Zealand and subsequent trajectories took them to latitudes between 29 and 85 degrees south and all longitudes. The payload was composed of instruments to measure the vector electric field, electric conductivity, magnetospheric VLF HISS, VLF subionospheric waves, atmospheric X-rays and environmental temperature and pressure.

The resulting data set of the flights is the largest ever collected (Over 410 payload-days) in a stratospheric, vector electric field balloon-borne experiment, rivaling small satellite programs in the coverage duration.

Details of the balloon flight

Balloon launched on: 11/30/1992 at 16:37 utc
Launch site: Dunedin, New Zealand  
Balloon launched by: National Scientific Balloon Facility (NSBF)
Balloon manufacturer/size/composition: Super Pressure Balloon Raven 181.215 cuft (0.92 x 0.92 mil Hoescht 2000 polyester)
Balloon serial number: R.181-1.8SP-108
Flight identification number: 351N
End of flight (L for landing time, W for last contact, otherwise termination time): 2/24/1993 at 1:10 utc
Balloon flight duration (F: time at float only, otherwise total flight time in d:days / h:hours or m:minutes - ): 96 d
 Payload weight: 95 lbs

External references

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