Sep 28 1976
From The Space Library
MSFC announced launchings of two giant helium-filled polyethylene balloons carrying cosmic-ray detectors, last week's flight for a French-Danish team investigating isotopic composition of primary cosmic rays, the upcoming flight to evaluate instrumentation for a planned HERO launch and for other Space Shuttle experiments. The HEAD flight scheduled for 1979 would survey and map gamma-ray and cosmic-ray flux. The balloon launch site near Sioux Falls, S.D., was chosen because earth magnetic-field lines there would deflect fewer cosmic rays, and the low population density and open terrain facilitated payload recovery. The balloons would reach an altitude of about 41 km, above 99.6% of earth's atmosphere (which fragments cosmic rays), and remain aloft for 40 to 60 hr sending data to the ground. Upon electronic command from the ground, the instrument payloads would separate from the balloons and return to earth by parachute; the balloons would be destroyed by ground command over unpopulated areas. Telemetry tapes and recovered instruments would go to the investigators for analysis. (MSFC Release 76-172)
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