NASA balloon in the air

First listen to March 27 2015 to hear about the launch of the balloon last year.

This year, the NASA team launched the balloon successfully yesterday at 11.30am from Wanaka airport. It was their fifth attempt since April 1st. They needed perfect conditions with a light wind. NASA has an agreement with the Wanaka airport that the balloon launch should take place before noon. The road was closed 30 minutes before the launch and 15 minute afterwards. Finally, the conditions were right and the launch was successful. The scientific equipment is at the bottom so a smaller helium-filled balloon attached to the top helped to keep the balloon upright until it was finally floating. Then the smaller balloon was detached.

The big helium-filled balloon weighs 2366 kg. It is very tough because at 33km above the earth temperatures could be -40 degrees Celsius. Last year’s balloon was damaged a little at the seams so, this year, the seams are stronger.

The purpose of the balloon research is to discover more about how stars are formed and how they develop.

Wanaka was chosen because of the clear skies and its position in the Southern Hemisphere. Scientists can get a clearer view of space than from anywhere else in the world. NASA brought 30 staff to Wanaka for this launch. They can now go back to the US where they can monitor the balloon remotely.

NASA would now like to build a permanent facility at Wanaka airport for future balloon launches.

Vocabulary

• launch (n, v) – start a new project, often used for a new ship
• upright (adj) – vertical
• detached (v) – taken off, (opposite of attached – tied on)
• seams (n) – joins on fabric
• Hemisphere (n) – hemi- half, the earth is a sphere like a ball
• monitor (v) – check continuously
• remotely (adv) – from a distance
• facility (n) – building

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