Balloon launches
In 1974 the first stratospheric balloon was launched from Esrange Space Center and since then more than 550 scientific balloons have been launched. Launches are performed by the SSC launch team often together with the CNES launch team (France) or the CSBF launch team working for NASA (USA).

Balloon systems
As the use of stratospheric balloons increased during the 80s and 90s, SSC started to design subsystems for balloon flights in the end of the 90s. Most systems are used for communication with different service systems on the balloon flight train or for data transmission from the payload to the ground station.

Balloon payloads
SSC has developed a balloon platform (PIROG) capable of carrying a 200 kg payload for stratospheric flights lasting up to 12 hours. The platform concept has been used during the last ten years at SSC carrying payloads for astronomical studies of the interstellar media in the infrared spectral range.

Ground based scientific instruments
SSC has several ground based instruments at Esrange Space Center used for the support of sounding rocket and balloon experiments for Atmospheric, Ionospheric and Magnetospheric research. These instruments are primarily designed for real time use during campaigns. Read more here.

Geographical advantages
The geographical location of Esrange Space Center gives many advantages for balloon flights. Being near the pole means getting the opportunity to fly inside the polar vortex during winter time, enabling polar circum flights for many days up to weeks. During winter the winds in the stratosphere are extremely stable and blow east. The opposite wind direction is obtained during summer.

Landing area
For landing a vast area is available in northern Sweden, Finland, Russia, Canada and Alaska. For drop tests a vast restricted impact area on land for sounding rockets is used (5200 square kilometers).

We launch helium filled balloons for
• Scientific measurements
• Validation of passing satellites
• Lifting of aerospace vehicles for drop tests

Some typical fields of application
• Ozone studies, as Esrange is placed with in the Polar Vortex.
• Circum Polar Flights, due to the Polar Vortex.
• Astronomy studies, as the instruments can measure above the disturbing atmosphere.
• Astrophysical studies, due to the disturbing atmosphere.
• Micro gravity studies, as we have a large restricted landing area.
• Tests of new aerospace vehicles, due to the large restricted landing area.

Balloon types
We launch French balloons from Zodiac and American balloons from Raven.
The size of the balloons from Zodiac are from 3.000 m3 up to 1.200.000 m3 (standard).
The largest balloons can lift a weight of up to 2 metric tons.
The size of the balloons from Aerostar are from 113.000 m3 up to 1.100.000 m3 (standard).
The largest balloons can lift a weight of up to xx metric tons.

Release technics
Auxiliary balloon technic or dynamic release technic depending on the size and weight of the payload.

Efficient time for measuring
Between a couple of hours up to weeks, in so called polar circum flight.

Weight
We can launch payload ranging from a couple of kg up to 3 metric tons.

Altitude
Possible altitudes are 15–45 km.