NASA's Super Pressure Balloon Program
- AKAP
- Apr 3, 2023
- 4 min read
NASA's Scientific Balloon Program is set to launch two super pressure balloons (SPBs) from Wānaka, New Zealand. The SPB technology is a cost-effective alternative to space missions and will be used to conduct cutting-edge science experiments. The balloons are filled with helium and are approximately the size of a football stadium when fully inflated at 110,000 feet and contain 19mmcf of helium. NASA has launched three SPBs from Wānaka, one each in 2015-2017. NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia manages the agency’s scientific balloon flight program with 10 to 15 flights each year from launch sites worldwide.