Purpose of the flight and payload description

This balloon flight has been carried out under the umbrella of the Honghu Special Project (Near Space Science Experiment System) a strategic pilot technology program launched by the Chinese Academy of Sciences on March 2018. It focuses on the exploration and study of the near space environment, and relies on multi-type platforms to carry out the comprehensive detection of the near space with the most complete range of parameters possible.

Combined with multi-source data, the objective is to deeply describe the atmospheric environment, electromagnetic environment and radiation environment in the near space, and greatly improve the cognition and prediction of such realm. The aim of the program includes carrying balloon-based experiments in physics, chemistry, biology, optics, planetary space environment and remote sensing detection.Most of the balloon flights under the initiative made use of multi-instrumented platforms on which were performed experiments for all the disciplines mentioned above in a single flight.

Balloon launch operations are in charge of the Aerospace Information Research Institute.

Details of the balloon flight

Balloon launched on: 9/4/2019 at 16:18 utc
Launch site: Dachaidan district, Qinghai Tibet Plateau, China  
Balloon launched by: Aerospace Information Research Institute (AIR-CAS)
Balloon manufacturer/size/composition: Zero Pressure Balloon  
End of flight (L for landing time, W for last contact, otherwise termination time): 9/4/2019 at 19:42 utc
Balloon flight duration (F: time at float only, otherwise total flight time in d:days / h:hours or m:minutes - ): 3 h 40 m
Campaign: SENSOR ( Stratospheric Environmental respoNses to Solar stORms)  

The balloon flight containing experiments of the SENSOR campaign took place in the Dachaidan District, Qinghai Province, China. The balloon was launched at approximately 16:18 UTC on 4 September, 2019. The flight trajectory is shown in the map above. The balloon reached its maximum altitude of approximately 25 km at 17:56 UTC; leveled flight lasted for approximately 1.5 hours until 19:42 UTC when the gondola was separated from the balloon by a cutter.

External references

Images of the mission

         

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