Previous Article
Next Article
Table of Contents

Flare Genesis Test Flight (1Jun94)
(from NSO, NOAO Newsletter No. 38, 1 June 1994)

The Flare Genesis payload was tested 23 January 1994 in a balloon
launch from Ft. Sumner, New Mexico.  This is a joint project of the
NSO/SP Air Force group (PL/GPSS) and the Johns Hopkins University
Applied Physics Laboratory to eventually obtain high-resolution vector
magnetograms during a high-altitude circumpolar balloon flight.
Successes of the test flight included the thermal performance,
telemetry, gondola performance, reliability of the filter, and ability
to command the telescope.  Problems were encountered in handing off
from the coarse pointing system to the 10" LCD system.  We believe
these problems were created by a wind gradient between the balloon and
the payload that existed at the 80,000 ft. altitude the mission was
flown at.  Since the telescope was pointed south and the flight was
drifting east, a net torque results on the solar panels.  At 125,000
ft. where the Antarctic mission will be flown, this torque is reduced
by a factor of about eight, so no problems are expected.  As a
precaution we decided to add an intermediate pointing system.  GPSS is
currently writing the Executive Control Program for the flight, which
will control the scientific experiment sequencing and collect the
data.  APL is completing the vector magnetograph payload and improving
the pointing performance.  PL/SX in Albuquerque and APL will modify the
gondola by shortening it to make recovery in Antarctica easier.

Steve Keil

Previous Article
Next Article
Table of Contents