Winter long duration stratospheric balloons from Polar regions

TL;DR

This paper discusses the development and successful flight of a specialized stratospheric balloon platform designed for long-duration polar night observations, enabling astrophysical and atmospheric research in extreme conditions.

Contribution

It introduces a new efficient platform capable of operating in harsh polar environments, with successful flight data supporting future astrophysical missions during polar night.

Findings

Payload operated successfully for 21 hours

Thermal and power systems performed outstandingly

Collected environmental and attitude data for system qualification

Abstract

A new opportunity for astronomy, cosmology, physics, and atmospheric observations is the possibility to fly stratospheric payloads at 30 - 40 km of altitude during the polar night. The absence of solar irradiation for long periods, and the extremely low temperature and stable environment of the winter stratosphere represent ideal environmental conditions while performing astrophysical observations. Here we present a small and efficient platform, able to communicate, supply power and navigate in the harsh environment of the polar stratosphere. After a balloon failure in January 2017, the payload was successfully flown in December 2017 from 78$^\circ$N, in Longyearbyen, Svalbard, Norway. Duration was limited to 21 hr, due to a southern trajectory that caused solar illumination and loss of lift. The instrument acquired and transmitted environmental data, and the thermal performance of the power system are outstanding. The payload also included a set of attitude sensors, to monitor payload movements. The information collected on this flight is essential to qualify the attitude control system sensors, and for the design if the thermal and power system of the next generation LSPE-SWIPE telescope, devoted to the measurement of the polarization of the Cosmic Microwave Background radiation from a stratospheric balloon during the Arctic polar night.