CAPANINA

Purpose of the flight and payload description

This was a technological flight of the CAPANINA project wich overall objective is to develop a broadband wireless communications capability, at speeds up to 120 Mbit/s, from High Altitude Platforms to stationary users on the ground and to users on moving vehicles at speeds up to 300 km/h. The ultimate aim is to have a number of the platforms in the stratosphere at altitudes of around 20 km with one platform serving a region of approximately 60 km.

Details of the balloon flight

Balloon launched on: 6/29/2005 at 11:45
Launch site: European Space Range, Kiruna, Sweden
Balloon launched by: Swedish Space Corporation (SSC)
Balloon manufacturer/size/composition: Zero Pressure Balloon 5.000 m3
End of flight (L for landing time, W for last contact, otherwise termination time): 6/29/2005 at 14:40
Balloon flight duration (F: time at float only, otherwise total flight time in d:days / h:hours or m:minutes - ): ~ 3 hr
Landing site: S of Nikkaluokta, Sweden
Campaign: CAPANINA

On 29 June at 11:45:53 UTC the 5000 m3 Stratospheric balloon was successfully launched. Esranges new launch vehicle Hercules, was used during the launch.

The balloon reached an altitude of 27 km and the aim with the campaign was to verify all technical system but also to validate a new technique for turning the payload just before landing. The recovery operation is completed and the payload is back at Esrange.

During this flight there were cameras onboard to observe the payload behaviour just before it touched the ground. The landing took place south of the village of Nikkaluokta at 14:40 UTC.

The aim of the flight within the campaign was to verify all technical system but also to validate a new technique for turning the payload just before landing.