The Facility has launched more than 2,300 balloons for 35 universities, 23
other research agencies, and 33 foreign groups. In this time there has been a dramatic increase in sophistication of experiments and demands for service. This can
best be shown by comparisons of the growth in payload weight, balloon size, and
the amount of electronic support which it gave between 1963 and 1988. The average
payload increased from 185 kg (407 lb) in 1964 to more than 1,360 kg (3,000 lb) in
1988. The average balloon volume increased from 79,000 m
3
(2.8 million ft
3
) in
1964 to over 7 times as large in 1988. Today, payloads weighing 2,268 kg (5,000
lb) are quite common and balloons of 566,000-850,000 m
3
(20 to 30 million ft
3
)
are flown routinely.
In 2002 a balloon called “Big 60” because it was 1.7 million m
3
(60 million ft
3
),
was launched at Lynn Lake in Manitoba with the 690 kg (1,520 lb) Low Energy
Electrons (LEE) cosmic ray instrument provided by the University of Delaware.
The balloon ascended to a peak altitude of 49.4 km (162,000 ft) prior to planned
termination after 23 hours. It was flown again in 2018. Examples of the types of
flights for both science and commercial applications were discussed in Chapter 3.
In addition to the Palestine operation, the CSBF undertakes scientific ballooning operations from various remote sites in the U.S., some foreign countries, and
the continent of Antarctica. It is supported by the NSF which runs the U.S. Antarctic
Program (USAP). It is internationally acknowledged as one of the most advanced
organizations of its type in the world, and it has supported flights in over a dozen
countries.
See Chapter 4 and for further information, go to: https://www.csbf.nasa.gov/
9.1.3 Support Contractors
From its beginning in 1962, the Palestine facility needed contractors to support
flights operations, engineering and maintenance. Although NCAR managed the
recently established facility, Raven Industries was contracted to operate the site.
Winzen Research provided the balloons. In 1963 twenty-five flights were flown
from there. In order to provide better continuity and efficiency NCAR took over
the work force at the balloon facility in 1967.
In the mid-1980’s NASA decided to open the contract for engineering support
of the NASA Balloon Program and NSBF operations to competition. It was the
first open contract competition involving NSBF staffing. A major concern for
NASA was retaining skilled staff at NSBF during a possible contractor transition.
Skills for balloon operations were not taught in any school. The only source of
skilled people was NSBF or the Air Force Balloon Program based at Holloman
AFB in Alamogordo, NM. After assessing the proposals, one of which was submitted by the incumbent NCAR management, in July 1987 NASA awarded the
contract to the Physical Science Laboratory (PSL) of New Mexico State University.
9.1 Scientific Organizations 199
other research agencies, and 33 foreign groups. In this time there has been a dramatic increase in sophistication of experiments and demands for service. This can
best be shown by comparisons of the growth in payload weight, balloon size, and
the amount of electronic support which it gave between 1963 and 1988. The average
payload increased from 185 kg (407 lb) in 1964 to more than 1,360 kg (3,000 lb) in
1988. The average balloon volume increased from 79,000 m
3
(2.8 million ft
3
) in
1964 to over 7 times as large in 1988. Today, payloads weighing 2,268 kg (5,000
lb) are quite common and balloons of 566,000-850,000 m
3
(20 to 30 million ft
3
)
are flown routinely.
In 2002 a balloon called “Big 60” because it was 1.7 million m
3
(60 million ft
3
),
was launched at Lynn Lake in Manitoba with the 690 kg (1,520 lb) Low Energy
Electrons (LEE) cosmic ray instrument provided by the University of Delaware.
The balloon ascended to a peak altitude of 49.4 km (162,000 ft) prior to planned
termination after 23 hours. It was flown again in 2018. Examples of the types of
flights for both science and commercial applications were discussed in Chapter 3.
In addition to the Palestine operation, the CSBF undertakes scientific ballooning operations from various remote sites in the U.S., some foreign countries, and
the continent of Antarctica. It is supported by the NSF which runs the U.S. Antarctic
Program (USAP). It is internationally acknowledged as one of the most advanced
organizations of its type in the world, and it has supported flights in over a dozen
countries.
See Chapter 4 and for further information, go to: https://www.csbf.nasa.gov/
9.1.3 Support Contractors
From its beginning in 1962, the Palestine facility needed contractors to support
flights operations, engineering and maintenance. Although NCAR managed the
recently established facility, Raven Industries was contracted to operate the site.
Winzen Research provided the balloons. In 1963 twenty-five flights were flown
from there. In order to provide better continuity and efficiency NCAR took over
the work force at the balloon facility in 1967.
In the mid-1980’s NASA decided to open the contract for engineering support
of the NASA Balloon Program and NSBF operations to competition. It was the
first open contract competition involving NSBF staffing. A major concern for
NASA was retaining skilled staff at NSBF during a possible contractor transition.
Skills for balloon operations were not taught in any school. The only source of
skilled people was NSBF or the Air Force Balloon Program based at Holloman
AFB in Alamogordo, NM. After assessing the proposals, one of which was submitted by the incumbent NCAR management, in July 1987 NASA awarded the
contract to the Physical Science Laboratory (PSL) of New Mexico State University.
9.1 Scientific Organizations 199