The 2023 Balloon Flight of the ComPair Instrument

TL;DR

The 2023 balloon flight of the ComPair instrument demonstrated a prototype gamma-ray telescope's capabilities in the MeV energy range, showcasing its multi-detector system and successful flight performance.

Contribution

This paper presents the development, flight performance, and initial results of the ComPair gamma-ray telescope prototype during its first balloon mission.

Findings

Successful launch and 6.5-hour flight in 2023.

Effective operation of multi-detector subsystems during flight.

Initial gamma-ray observations in the MeV regime.

Abstract

The ComPair balloon instrument is a prototype gamma-ray telescope that aims to further develop technology for observing the gamma-ray sky in the MeV regime. ComPair combines four detector subsystems to enable parallel Compton scattering and pair-production detection, critical for observing in this energy range. This includes a 10 layer double-sided silicon strip detector tracker, a virtual Frisch grid low energy CZT calorimeter, a high energy CsI calorimeter, and a plastic scintillator anti-coincidence detector. The inaugural balloon flight successfully launched from the Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility site in Fort Sumner, New Mexico, in late August 2023, lasting approximately 6.5 hours in duration. In this proceeding, we discuss the development of the ComPair Since balloon payload, the performance during flight, and early results.