Recently, the technology of the CSBF Operations Control Center (OCC) was
improved to allow real-time analysis of the science and flight information
from balloons in flight.
In February 2006, the site was renamed the Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility
in memory of the Space Shuttle Columbia which was destroyed while attempting
to reenter the atmosphere above Texas three years earlier.
In the half century since its inauguration, the Palestine site has carried out more
than 1,500 stratospheric balloon launches, making it one of the most active sites
in the country. Flights during the winter months were moved to another NASA site
in Fort Sumner, NM. See Section 9.1.2 for descriptions of CSBF facilities.
6.1.2 Fort Sumner, New Mexico
The second permanent launch site of the NASA Balloon Program is the Scientific
Balloon Flight Facility. It is within the boundaries of the Fort Sumner Municipal
Airport on the northeast side of the town and a 3 hour drive east and a little south
of Albuquerque in De Baca County, NM.
The Transcontinental Air Transport Company built the airport in the 1920’s
when setting up a coast-to-coast air passenger network. After that plan collapsed
during the Great Depression the airport was abandoned. It was reopened by the
Army Air Corps to serve as training base during World War II. After the war the
airport and facilities were transferred to the town of Fort Sumner, which operates
it today for small private planes. The airport has a very large hanger, two runways
and a large apron area.
In 1985 a flight safety analysis by the NASA Balloon Program concluded
there was a significant risk associated with balloon flights launched from
Palestine to the east. The primary issue was a balloon failure occurring during
ascent in the area around Palestine, along with a minor hazard in the planned
impact zone of the more densely populated areas lying to the east. Additional
safety requirements were imposed on turnaround and easterly flights of payloads that exceeded 1,600 kg (3,500 lb). A survey was conducted in 1986 to
identify a new semi- permanent western launch site. This resulted in the selection for the first time of Fort Sumner as an acceptable site for balloon operations.
The only setbacks were related to the surrounding landscape. Fort Sumner lies
at 1,219 m (4,000 ft) altitude in a desert environment and hence is subject to a
lot of low level winds night and day during the spring. Another reason that
NASA and the NSBF first chose Fort Sumner was because of the presence of a
large old World War II airplane hangar that could be used for payload assembly
and checkout.
6.1 NASA 125
improved to allow real-time analysis of the science and flight information
from balloons in flight.
In February 2006, the site was renamed the Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility
in memory of the Space Shuttle Columbia which was destroyed while attempting
to reenter the atmosphere above Texas three years earlier.
In the half century since its inauguration, the Palestine site has carried out more
than 1,500 stratospheric balloon launches, making it one of the most active sites
in the country. Flights during the winter months were moved to another NASA site
in Fort Sumner, NM. See Section 9.1.2 for descriptions of CSBF facilities.
6.1.2 Fort Sumner, New Mexico
The second permanent launch site of the NASA Balloon Program is the Scientific
Balloon Flight Facility. It is within the boundaries of the Fort Sumner Municipal
Airport on the northeast side of the town and a 3 hour drive east and a little south
of Albuquerque in De Baca County, NM.
The Transcontinental Air Transport Company built the airport in the 1920’s
when setting up a coast-to-coast air passenger network. After that plan collapsed
during the Great Depression the airport was abandoned. It was reopened by the
Army Air Corps to serve as training base during World War II. After the war the
airport and facilities were transferred to the town of Fort Sumner, which operates
it today for small private planes. The airport has a very large hanger, two runways
and a large apron area.
In 1985 a flight safety analysis by the NASA Balloon Program concluded
there was a significant risk associated with balloon flights launched from
Palestine to the east. The primary issue was a balloon failure occurring during
ascent in the area around Palestine, along with a minor hazard in the planned
impact zone of the more densely populated areas lying to the east. Additional
safety requirements were imposed on turnaround and easterly flights of payloads that exceeded 1,600 kg (3,500 lb). A survey was conducted in 1986 to
identify a new semi- permanent western launch site. This resulted in the selection for the first time of Fort Sumner as an acceptable site for balloon operations.
The only setbacks were related to the surrounding landscape. Fort Sumner lies
at 1,219 m (4,000 ft) altitude in a desert environment and hence is subject to a
lot of low level winds night and day during the spring. Another reason that
NASA and the NSBF first chose Fort Sumner was because of the presence of a
large old World War II airplane hangar that could be used for payload assembly
and checkout.
6.1 NASA 125