Balloon's good progress pleases Nasa

The latest trajectory report of the balloon's location, taken on Sunday. Photo/Image by NASA.
The latest trajectory report of the balloon's location, taken on Sunday. Photo/Image by NASA.
An on-board camera keeps an eye on the balloon's shape.
An on-board camera keeps an eye on the balloon's shape.

Nasa's super-pressure helium balloon is tracking ''extremely well'' since it left Wanaka Airport last Friday, programme office chief Debbie Fairbrother says.

Several key Nasa staff, including Ms Fairbrother, left New Zealand yesterday, after several weeks in the country preparing for the launch and waiting for the weather conditions to settle last week.

''The balloon is performing extremely well,'' Ms Fairbrother told the Otago Daily Times in an email yesterday.

''We are very pleased with the behaviour of the balloon to date. It has maintained its altitude extremely well over the flight. It did have a slight decrease in altitude late last night [Sunday], but it was flying over a cold storm.

"Since the balloon is a thermal vehicle, the decrease was explained by the environment.''

The balloon left the east coast of New Zealand and by yesterday afternoon was nearly halfway to South America over the South Pacific Ocean.

It was travelling at an altitude of 33,585m and a speed of 45.70 knots (84.6kmh).

Queenstown Airport Corporation communications manager Jen Andrews said Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility staff, who are contracted to Nasa, were still at Wanaka Airport packing up equipment and would leave New Zealand later this week.

lucy.ibbotson@odt.co.nz

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