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The Columbia Scientific Balloon Facilty (CSBF) (established 1961, formerly known as the National Scientific Balloon Facility (NSBF)) is a NASA facilty responsible for deploying and recovering scientific high altitude balloons for NASA centers and Universities. 1961 (MCMLXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ...
NASA logo Listen to this article · (info) This audio file was created from an article revision dated 2005-09-01, and does not reflect subsequent edits to the article. ...
High altitude balloons are balloons, usually filled with helium, that are released into the upper atmosphere, generally reaching between 60,000 and 120,000 feet. ...
Mission
Its mission is threefold: - Plan, develop, and operate facilities to provide scientific balloon service to the scientific community.
- Perform research and development on future ballooning technology.
- Provide consulting services in the field of scientific ballooning.
History The CSBF was established in Boulder, Colorado in 1961 under the auspices of the National Science Foundation. The facility was moved to Palestine, Texas in 1963 and designated as the National Scientific Balloon Facility (NSBF) in January 1973. 1961 (MCMLXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ...
The logo of the National Science Foundation The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent United States government agency that supports fundamental research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering. ...
Palestine (pronounced PAL-es-teen) is a city located in Anderson County, Texas. ...
Official language(s) None. ...
1963 (MCMLXIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ...
1973 (MCMLXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday. ...
In 1982, sponsorship of the NSBF was transferred from the National Science Foundation to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the NSBF became a separate entity under the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR). 1982 (MCMLXXXII) is a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ...
NASA Logo Listen to this article · (info) This audio file was created from the revision dated 2005-09-01, and does not reflect subsequent edits to the article. ...
Since October, 1987, the NSBF is operated by the Physical Science Laboratory under the auspices of New Mexico State University located in Las Cruces, New Mexico. It is administered by Goddard Space Flight Center's Wallops Flight Facility. 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...
New Mexico State University, or NMSU, is a land-grant university that has its main campus in Las Cruces, New Mexico. ...
Aerial view of Goddard Space Flight Center. ...
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center`s Wallops Flight Facility, located on Virginia`s Eastern Shore, was established in 1945 by the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, as a center for aeronautic research. ...
In February, 2006, the NSBF was renamed the Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility in honor of the Crew of STS-107 lost in the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster. 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...
The STS-107 crewmembers strike a ‘flying’ pose for their traditional in-flight crew portrait in the SPACEHAB aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia. ...
Shuttle debris falling over Texas, on Time cover The Space Shuttle Columbia disaster was the disintegration of the Space Shuttle Columbia over Texas on February 1, 2003, during reentry into the Earths atmosphere on its 28th mission, STS-107. ...
CSBF Ballooning
Balloon CSBF conventional and long duration (LDB) balloons are made of 20 micrometer thick polyethylene film, and have a diameter of up to 120 meters. The balloons are filled with helium gas, can carry payloads up to 3600 kg, fly at altitudes of up to 42 km, and can remain at float for over 2 weeks. Polyethylene or polyethene is a thermoplastic commodity heavily used in consumer products (over 60M tons are produced worldwide every year). ...
The balloons are zero pressure difference balloons, and are open at the bottom. They are only partially inflated when launched, and as they rise up, the lower atmospheric pressure causes them to fully inflate.
The bottom of the balloon is attached to a parachute, which is then attached by steel cables to the payload. A flight is terminated by simultaneously separating the parachute from the balloon, and ripping open the top of the balloon. The balloon quickly deflates and falls to the ground to be recovered and disposed of (balloons are single use). Meanwhile, the payload falls, and when it gets low enough, there will be enough atmosphere to open the parachute, at which point the payload will slowly float to the ground. The Apollo 15 capsule landed safely despite a parachute failure. ...
Ultra long duration balloons (ULDB) are being developed which can operate at float for up to 100 days.
Launch Sites CSBF launches balloons from several sites in the world, depending on the needs of the experiment they carry. Sites include: Palestine (pronounced PAL-es-teen) is a city located in Anderson County, Texas. ...
Fort Sumner is a village located in De Baca County, New Mexico. ...
A scene at McMurdo Station McMurdo Station, located at 77°51′S 166°40′E, sits on the southern tip of Ross Island in Antarctica, on the shore of McMurdo Sound, 2,200 miles (3,500 km) due south of New Zealand. ...
Kiruna is a city in northernmost Sweden with 19,000 inhabitants; and 23,000 in the Kiruna Municipality. ...
Motto: The Golden Heart City Nickname: Map Political Statistics Founded Incorporated November 10, 1903 County {{{county}}} Borough Fairbanks North Star Parrish {{{parrish}}} Mayor Steve M. Thompson Geographic Statistics Area - Total - Water 84. ...
Lynn Lake is a small town in the northwest region of Manitoba, Canada, 1,071 km from Winnipeg. ...
References Columbia Scientific Balloon Facilty Homepage |
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