Image:BLAST on flightline balloon filling kiruna 2005.jpeg

[edit] Summary

BLAST (the Balloon-borne Large Aperture Sub-millimetre Telescope) on the 'flightline' at Esrange. This photo was taken within one hour of the 1:10 UTC June 12 2005 launch. BLAST is the large structure at the far right (covered mostly by aluminized mylar and solar arrays) hanging from the launch vehicle (yellow). Several grad students are standing in front of the launch vehicle for scale. BLAST is attached to both the launch vehicle and the flight train at the top. The flight train (cables that BLAST suspends from during flight) is draped over the top of the launch vehicle where it attaches to the parachue (orange/white) which is in turn attached to the balloon (white). The balloon is streched along the ground until it gets to the 'spool truck', above which it is filled with helium, which is ongoing (through the two white tubes extending from near the top of the balloon to the ground) at the time the photo was taken. The balloon is only partially inflated before launch. As the balloon ascends and the atmospheric pressure decreases, the helium in the balloon will expand and eventually fill the balloon fully, at which point the balloon will stop rising, a point refered to as 'float,' at 35 - 40 km altitude.

At launch time, the spool truck will release the balloon, which will rise up over the launch vehicle. When the balloon is directly overhead the launch vehicle, the launch vehicle will release BLAST, allowing ascent. Because of variations in wind and other conditions, the launch vehicle often needs to maneuver quickly during launch to safely release the payload.

[edit] Licensing

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