NASA Launches Back-to-Back Scientific Balloons

Surging to take advantage of near-perfect launch conditions, NASA’s Scientific Balloon Team launched two balloons within 24 hours Sept. 27-28 from the Agency’s launch site at Fort Sumner, New Mexico. Clear, calm weather paved the way for launching a balloon technology test flight at 8:20 a.m. MDT, Sept. 28, via a 29.47 million-cubic-foot scientific balloon. Just less than 24 hours earlier, the balloon team launched the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) Remote payload via a 29.47-million-cubic-foot scientific balloon at 8:28 a.m. MDT, Sept. 27. Technicians successfully completed the JPL Remote mission at 10:28 p.m. MDT, Sept. 27, issuing flight termination commands to safely return the balloon material and payload back to Earth. “An enormous amount of planning, coordination, and labor goes into every balloon launch,” said Debbie Fairbrother, NASA’s Balloon Program Office chief. “To do two in a day’s time is nothing short of phenomenal work by an incredible team.” Read more: <a href="http://go.nasa.gov/2cLgslt" rel="nofollow">go.nasa.gov/2cLgslt</a> Credit: NASA/Wallops/Jeremy Eggers <b><a href="http://www.nasa.gov/audience/formedia/features/MP_Photo_Guidelines.html" rel="nofollow">NASA image use policy.</a></b> <b><a href="http://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/home/index.html" rel="nofollow">NASA Goddard Space Flight Center</a></b> enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission. <b>Follow us on <a href="http://twitter.com/NASAGoddardPix" rel="nofollow">Twitter</a></b> <b>Like us on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Greenbelt-MD/NASA-Goddard/395013845897?ref=tsd" rel="nofollow">Facebook</a></b> <b>Find us on <a href="http://instagrid.me/nasagoddard/?vm=grid" rel="nofollow">Instagram</a></b>