It's a busy day at the stratospheric balloon base in Timmins.
Two balloons are slated to be released today (Aug. 14), according to the Timmins Stratospheric Balloon Base Facebook page.
The first was scheduled for 11 a.m., with the second flight of the Strato-Science campaign being released later tonight.
This morning's launch is a stratospheric expandable balloon (SEB) or meteorological balloon, which is smaller than the zero-pressure balloons. The SEB, according to the Canadian Space Agency website, volume is between 180 and 1,150 cubic metres, compared to the zero pressure balloon, which is around 100,000 cubic metres. At float altitude, the SEB diameter is between five and 13 metres whereas the zero pressure balloon's diametre is between 60 and 150 metres. While both balloons can carry the same kind of science, the SEB equipment is miniaturized.
ICARUS-4 is the first flight. According to the balloon base it's carrying a payload with a radiometer. The flight is expected to last three hours and hit an altitude between 80,000 and 100,000 feet.
Around 10 p.m., NIMBUS-2 zero pressure balloon is scheduled to launch carrying the BeSAFE payload, which is 1,012 kilograms.
The ceiling for the flight is 110,000 feet for four to six hours, followed by a slow descent of about 10 feet per second for six to eight hours.
This is the eleventh year for the stratospheric balloon base in Timmins. It operates as a partnership between the Canadian Space Agency and French space agency. Read more about this year's launches here.
