NASA's GUSTO Scientific Balloon Sets Record

The floating observatory is flying at an altitude of more than 125,000 feet.

Wednesday, February 28, 2024 at 02:07 PM ET

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Launching from Antarctica, Galactic/Extragalactic ULDB Spectroscopic Terahertz Observatory (GUSTO) will fly a long-duration balloon carrying a telescope with carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen emission line detectors to measure emissions from the interstellar medium, the cosmic material found between stars. [Courtesy: NASA]

Key Takeaways:

NASA's GUSTO scientific balloon mission at the South Pole has set a new record for the longest heavy-lift, long-duration balloon flight, surpassing 55 days.
The mission uses a stadium-sized telescope to map portions of the Milky Way and the Large Magellanic Cloud in 3D by measuring high-frequency radio wave emissions from interstellar gas.
GUSTO provides a significantly lower-cost alternative to conventional orbital missions for making groundbreaking observations of the cosmos.
The balloon's excellent performance and favorable stratospheric winds have allowed the mission to continue flying beyond its initial target, exploring the limits of long-duration ballooning.

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A scientific balloon mission underway at the South Pole has set the record for longest flight of any NASA heavy-lift, long-duration balloon mission, according to the space agency.

NASA launched the Galactic/Extragalactic ULDB Spectroscopic Terahertz Observatory (GUSTO) scientific balloon in late December from McMurdo Station in Antarctica in order to map portions of the Milky Way and nearby Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). The telescope tethered to the balloon is collecting data that will be used in the making of a 3D map of the Milky Way and LMC dwarf galaxy near it using high-frequency radio waves.