GUSTO, an Astrophysics mission managed by NASA’s Explorers Program Office at the agency’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, is led by principal investigator Christopher Walker from the University of Arizona with support from the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory. GUSTO’s record-breaking flight claimed the NASA title from the Super-TIGER (Super Trans-Iron Galactic Element Recorder) balloon mission, which launched from Antarctica in December 2012. “The balloon and balloon systems have been performing beautifully, and we’re seeing no degradation in the performance of the balloon. The winds in the stratosphere have been very favorable and have provided stable conditions for extended flight.”
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“The health of the balloon and the stratospheric winds are both contributing to the success of the mission so far,” said Hamilton. The stadium-sized zero-pressure scientific balloon and observatory are currently reaching altitudes above 125,000 feet. The balloon mission not only broke the flight record but continues its path circumnavigating the South Pole. National Science Foundation’s McMurdo Station in Antarctica. 31 from the Long Duration Balloon Camp near the U.S. National Science Foundation and their support staff in Antarctica, and to the Mission Management team with NASA, every one of them has been vital to the success of this mission which absolutely demonstrates the capability and value of Long Duration Ballooning to the scientific community.” “From the operations team at Peraton, to our balloon manufacturer at Aerostar, to the U.S. “The success of this balloon mission is a fantastic tribute to all the people that support the program,” said Andrew Hamilton, acting chief of NASA’s Balloon Program Office at the agency’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. GUSTO is now the new record-holder for longest flight of any NASA heavy-lift, long-duration scientific balloon mission. 24, while flying high above the icy surface of Antarctica. Antarctic Program.įifty-five days, one hour, and 34 minutes was the NASA record to beat, and the GUSTO (Galactic/Extragalactic ULDB Spectroscopic Terahertz Observatory) scientific balloon mission did just that Saturday, Feb. National Science Foundation’s Office of Polar Programs oversees the U.S. National Science Foundation, including support from other Antarctic programs.Įditor’s note: This story was updated to state that the U.S.
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Any recovery effort, while not required for mission success, will be coordinated through the U.S. The payload descended by parachute landing safely on the ground in Antarctica. EST, setting a new record for a NASA heavy-lift, long-duration balloon flight at float for 57 days, 7 hours, 38 minutes. Editor’s note: The GUSTO mission ended Feb.