MAX (Millimeter wavelength Anisotropy eXperiment)

Developed by University of California, Berkeley (UCB)

Balloon launched on 11/15/1989, from Scientific Flight Balloon Facility, Fort Sumner, (NM), US

Purpose of the flight and payload description

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.

Details of the balloon flight

Balloon launched on: 11/15/1989 at 23:13 utc
Launch site: Scientific Flight Balloon Facility, Fort Sumner, (NM), US  
Balloon launched by: National Scientific Balloon Facility (NSBF)
Balloon manufacturer/size/composition: Zero Pressure Balloon N24I-8/8T-3.20
Balloon serial number: R3.20-1-102
Flight identification number: 282N
End of flight (L for landing time, W for last contact, otherwise termination time): 11/16/1989 at 11:04 utc
Landing site: 30 miles SE of Roswell, New Mexico, US
 Payload weight: 750 kg

External references

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