MSAM/Tophat - Images

The TopHat high fidelity mockup awaiting an early morning launch at the National Scientific Balloon Facility in Fort Sumner, New Mexico.
Completion of tow-balloon inflation. The tow balloon is used to hold the top package in place during the inflation of the main balloon.
Main balloon inflation nearly complete. The tow balloon will be released shortly, followed by the launch of the main balloon.
The NSBF plane circles overhead. This plane will monitor and videotape the launch from above.
Launch!! The TopHat mockup and support gondola begin their climb to 120,000 feet where they will float due east for ~12 hours.
The TopHat support gondola. This is the actual science flight unit which will be launched from McMurdo Station, Antarctica in 1999. The gondola is painted white to avoid overheating. The solar panels are suspended on awnings to allow them to absorb sunlight and radiate away their excess heat. A computer and disk drives are stored in the pressure vessel which is kept at 760 Torr (pressure on the ground) and 20 deg. C.
The top portion of the TopHat mockup being delivered by NSBF prior to integration with the rest of the package.

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