NASA recently announced that they have successfully launched the first Super Pressure Balloon (SPB) flight of the year. This balloon is capable of flying around the world for over 100 days, at an altitude of 33.5 kilometers, providing a platform for long-duration scientific research in the Earth’s stratosphere. The SPB, which is filled with helium, is the size of a football field when fully inflated, and is designed to stay in the stratosphere for extended periods of time. This is the fourth mission of its kind, and is set to last for over 100 days, circled around the world from a launch site in New Zealand. The payload includes experiments from NASA, the National Science Foundation and several universities.

This mission is an incredible feat of engineering and science, and provides a unique platform for extended research. The SPB will provide valuable data on ozone, aerosols, and other atmospheric particles, helping us to better understand the Earth’s climate. With this data, scientists will be able to develop better models and predictions of future climate change. The SPB is also a powerful tool for astronomical and astrophysical research, allowing extended observations of the heavens in ways that cannot be accomplished from the ground.

The launch of this SPB mission

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source: Phys.org