Large scientific payloads (weighing 1000 pounds or more) have been flown using balloons since the early 1960's. Launching a balloon into the stratosphere is an excellent way to collect scientific data for two unique reasons:

1. Astronomical observations of the sky are free from the obscurations and distortions caused by the Earth's atmosphere.

2. One can make observations of the atmosphere from above.

These large balloons fly at altitudes where the atmospheric pressure is only 1/500 of the pressure at sea level.

Balloon science is remarkably versatile and covers many scientific disciplines ranging from X-ray, infrared, visible, ultraviolet, and gamma ray astrophysics to cosmic ray and atmospheric science. Not only are balloons launched to conduct academic research, they are also used for commercial applications such as detector calibration.

Scientists interested in launching balloon payloads come to the facilities of the National Scientific Balloon Facility (NSBF) from all over the globe. In addition to drawing scientists from every region of the US, the NSBF attracts scientists who have come from as far away as Italy, France, Belgium and Scandinavia.

Types of Balloon Flights:
The type of flight chosen for an experiment is chiefly determined by how much time the instrument needs to be aloft to collect its data. Three types of balloon flights are available:

Conventional

Long Duration

Ultra Long Duration

A balloon launch is a close cooperative effort between the NSBF and the scientists. The scientists bring their payload to the NSBF base where they assemble their equipment with the assistance of the NSBF. The base gives them an interface package for command and telemetry which allows the payload to receive instructions as well as send back data. Once the payload is ready to fly, the balloon base staff takes over the launch process. The scientists monitor the data and send up commands as necessary. The NSBF staff ensures that the payload comes back safely. Once the flight is completed, the scientists analyze and interpret the data.