Scientists eager to avoid hefty costs and waiting lists to launch instruments on satellites are turning to high-altitude balloons to find elusive particles zooming through space. The downside is that they have to travel to one of the world's most inhospitable spots to launch them.
In late December the National Science Foundation and NASA flew three helium research balloons up to 130,000 ft. over Antarctica, safely above any atmospheric interference. Several experiments measured the makeup of cosmic rays to determine if they are accelerated by exploding stars. Another sought antiprotons in an attempt to resolve an apparent cosmological imbalance: Matter and antimatter should exist in equal parts, but so far scientists haven't detected enough antimatter. Experiments that locate new sources of antimatter could redefine our understanding of the universe.
Fly Antarctica: Balloon Specs* GOOD FOR GASES: Constant daylight means a stable temperature for the helium inside balloons, helping them remain at consistent altitudes.
* ROUND-TRIP FLIGHTS: A constant 100-mph cyclone in the stratosphere over the South Pole circulates the balloons in a counterclockwise direction, so they can be launched and recovered from the same spot.
* SUMMER TEMPS: During the Southern Hemisphere's warmest season, which winds down in February, temperatures reach minus 22 F--frigid, but warm enough for scientists to work outdoors.
Researchers almost 1000 miles from the South Pole prepare a balloon carrying a cosmic ray detector, which launched on Dec. 19 and flew for 29 days.