NASA explains scientific balloon program in New Mexico

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – On Sunday, individuals from jap to western New Mexico, and even Arizona, had been staring up into the sky, questioning a few mysterious floating dot.

Well, it was a scientific balloon from NASA, and it seems you’ll have already seen certainly one of these launches and never recognized it.

“Fort Sumner has been an annual launch marketing campaign because the early ‘80s, and so we come down every year, and I think we get inquiries, certainly almost every year. Our campaign typically has about five to 10 launch missions,” said Gabriel Garde, chief of the NASA Balloon Program Office. 

Garde says keep your eyes on the skies.

“Between August through October. We’re launching, , about one every week or so,” mentioned Garde. 

So, what do these balloons do? The helium-filled balloons carry scientific devices into the sting of house. Those devices research every little thing from astronomy to the environment. 

“You say chase crew, right? So same thing, same principle applies for hot air balloons, that’s for scientific balloons. So once we launch it, we have folks that are heading out on the road to recover,” Garde mentioned. 

Scientific balloons can get the crimson flag too.

“Ballooning takes a very particular set of conditions, right for launch, not only are we looking at ground conditions, but these balloons, which are, you know, considerably large, right, that fully inflated, these balloons can fill up a football stadium,” mentioned Garde. 

If you’re one of many few who didn’t see the balloon Sunday, NASA desires you to know this:

“We are actively monitoring it, working with the FAA and our other partners to ensure that, you know, we maintain communication and safely bring down the missions. That’s how we’ve been able to operate, you know, in New Mexico for so long and across the world,” mentioned Garde. 

For extra info on the balloons and the launching schedule, click on here.