HEROES (High Energy Replicated Optics to Explore the Sun)

The HEROES project is an advanced version of NASA's successful High Energy Replicated Optics telescope, or HERO, first flown on a balloon by Marshall Center researchers in 2001 to detect distant X-ray sources in space. HEROES is specially aimed to observe solar flares with 100 times better sensitivity and 50 times more dynamic range than the best solar observations to date. This novel instrument also provides new views (improved angular resolution and sensitivity) of hard X-ray astrophysical targets. This effort takes advantage of the experience at MSFC gained from past HERO (High Energy Replicated Optics) telescope flights as well as the experience at GSFC to develop instrumentation for solar observations and perform quality solar data analysis.

Balloon launched on: 9/21/2013 at 11:50 utc
Launch site: Scientific Flight Balloon Facility, Fort Sumner, (NM), US  
Balloon launched by: Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility (CSBF)
Balloon manufacturer/size/composition: Zero Pressure Balloon Raven - 39.570.000 cu ft - (0.8 Mil.)
Balloon serial number: W 39.57-2-95
Flight identification number: 645N
End of flight (L for landing time, W for last contact, otherwise termination time): 9/22/2013 at 14:31 utc
Balloon flight duration (F: time at float only, otherwise total flight time in d:days / h:hours or m:minutes - ): ~ 26 h
Landing site: SW of Santa Rosa, New Mexico, US

• A Solar Aspect System for the HEROES Mission 2014 IEEE Aerospace Conference;
• Astrophysical Observations with the HEROES Balloon-borne Payload American Astronomical Society (AAS) Meeting; 223rd; 5-9 Jan. 2014
• HEROES website google +
• High Energy Replicated Optics to Explore the Sun balloon-borne telescope: Astrophysical pointing 2014 IEEE Aerospace Conference;
• The HEROES Balloon-Borne Hard X-Ray Telescope AAS High Energy Astrophysics Division (HEAD) Meeting; 14th; 17-21 Aug. 2014; Chicago, IL; United States
• Thermal Control of the Balloon-Borne Telescope HEROES 43rd International Conference on Environmental Systems
• Vision algorithm for the Solar Aspect System of the HEROES mission 2015 IEEE Aerospace Conference;