equipment. In exchange for these services, Canadian payloads are flown on an
annual basis by CNES from its worldwide network of sites. This collaboration
started with the site selection process and the definition of requirements, and it
resulted in infrastructures that provide separate buildings for the payloads, the
flight chain, and means of launch.
The first launch campaign in 2013 validated the new NOSYCA control system,
and was followed by scientific balloon campaigns in 2014 and 2015.
Together with many other organizations and universities, CNES supported
the Concordiasi project (a word that combines the name of the French-Italian
polar site with the name of the Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer,
IASI satellite). These were Antarctic field efforts to correlate balloon soundings
with the three European Union meteorological satellites; MetOp-A, -B and -C.
The sounder instruments measured the infrared spectrum in the troposphere and
the stratosphere with an improved accuracy.
9.3.3 JAXA Scientific Balloon Program
In October 2003 Japan’s Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) was created
as an independent administrative institution. It integrated the Institute of Space
and Astronautical Science (ISAS), the National Space Development Agency of
Japan (NASDA), and the National Aerospace Laboratory of Japan (NAL). As a
result, ISAS became one of four principal sections within the new
organization
In Japan the Sanriku Balloon Center (Sanriku-cho, Ohfunato City) has launched
about 10 balloons annually, which is more than 400 balloons since its foundation
in 1971. In April 2008 the Balloon Center was relocated to Taiki-cho, Hokkaido.
Balloons are used for scientific observation in many fields including cosmic rays,
infrared astronomy, high-energy space physics, upper-atmospheric physics, and
space biology.
In addition, there is research and technical development of the next generation
of balloons for future science and space-engineering experiments. New balloons
are being developed to broaden the range of possibilities for experiments. This
work is focused on thin-film high-altitude balloons for higher altitude flights and
super-pressure balloons for longer duration flights. One example was a balloon
with a volume of 80,000m
3
(2.825 million ft
3
) that was made using 2.8 μm
(0.00011in) polyethylene films; the thinnest in the world. In 2002 Japan set a
world record by flying a balloon to an altitude of 53 km (173,840 ft) using a 3.4
μm (0.000136 in) thick polyethylene film (20% thicker than the new film). It
ascended through the stratosphere, into the mesosphere
9.3 International Organizations 217
annual basis by CNES from its worldwide network of sites. This collaboration
started with the site selection process and the definition of requirements, and it
resulted in infrastructures that provide separate buildings for the payloads, the
flight chain, and means of launch.
The first launch campaign in 2013 validated the new NOSYCA control system,
and was followed by scientific balloon campaigns in 2014 and 2015.
Together with many other organizations and universities, CNES supported
the Concordiasi project (a word that combines the name of the French-Italian
polar site with the name of the Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer,
IASI satellite). These were Antarctic field efforts to correlate balloon soundings
with the three European Union meteorological satellites; MetOp-A, -B and -C.
The sounder instruments measured the infrared spectrum in the troposphere and
the stratosphere with an improved accuracy.
9.3.3 JAXA Scientific Balloon Program
In October 2003 Japan’s Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) was created
as an independent administrative institution. It integrated the Institute of Space
and Astronautical Science (ISAS), the National Space Development Agency of
Japan (NASDA), and the National Aerospace Laboratory of Japan (NAL). As a
result, ISAS became one of four principal sections within the new
organization
In Japan the Sanriku Balloon Center (Sanriku-cho, Ohfunato City) has launched
about 10 balloons annually, which is more than 400 balloons since its foundation
in 1971. In April 2008 the Balloon Center was relocated to Taiki-cho, Hokkaido.
Balloons are used for scientific observation in many fields including cosmic rays,
infrared astronomy, high-energy space physics, upper-atmospheric physics, and
space biology.
In addition, there is research and technical development of the next generation
of balloons for future science and space-engineering experiments. New balloons
are being developed to broaden the range of possibilities for experiments. This
work is focused on thin-film high-altitude balloons for higher altitude flights and
super-pressure balloons for longer duration flights. One example was a balloon
with a volume of 80,000m
3
(2.825 million ft
3
) that was made using 2.8 μm
(0.00011in) polyethylene films; the thinnest in the world. In 2002 Japan set a
world record by flying a balloon to an altitude of 53 km (173,840 ft) using a 3.4
μm (0.000136 in) thick polyethylene film (20% thicker than the new film). It
ascended through the stratosphere, into the mesosphere
9.3 International Organizations 217