DROPSONDES

The objective of the flight was to test a new system developed by the Laboratory for Middle Atmosphere and Global Environment Observation (LAGEOS), of the Chinese Academy os Sciences. The payload consisted in a specially designed gondola that will drop small meteorological sondes from the stratosphere that will fall to the ground on parachute. These drop-sondes can mesure the air temperature, air pressure, humidity, and wind direction from the height on which are released to the ground.

The aim of the project is to develop a system able to measure these parameters along wide distances providing weather monitoring and data on the low stratospheric dynamics in places such as oceans and deserts.

Balloon launched on: 8/5/2009 at 6:46 local time
Launch site: Xilin Gol, Inner Mongolia, China  
Balloon launched by: Institute of Optoelectronics, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Balloon manufacturer/size/composition: Zero Pressure Balloon 1.000 m3
End of flight (L for landing time, W for last contact, otherwise termination time): 8/5/2009 at 12:08 local time
Balloon flight duration (F: time at float only, otherwise total flight time in d:days / h:hours or m:minutes - ): 5 h 20 m
Payload weight: 45 kg

The balloon -measuring 1000 m3 of volume- was launched at 6:46 local time in August 5th, 2009 from Xilin-Gol, in the Inner Mongolia region. The gondola which contained the dropsonde system weighted 45 kg. The balloon reached float altitude of 25 km at 8:35. The first GPS radiosonde was dropped at 9:36. following a nominal descent on which the data was received on the ground without trouble. A new radiosonde was dropped at 10:45 also with identical result.

Finally at 12:08 the gondola was separated from the balloon, and by 13:00 it was on the ground from where it was recovered succesfuly.

• Original publication news for the launch (in Chinese) Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences