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Balloon Launch Locations

There are a number of factors that determine the selection of balloon launch locations. Among those are mission duration, need for flights over low-population areas for safety reasons, the science to be collected during the mission, cost, wind speed and direction, and many more.

A landscape photo of New Zealand, with a partially inflated balloon in the shape of an upside down teardrop in the distance.

Launch Locations

There are a number of factors that determine the selection of balloon launch locations. Among those are mission duration, need for flights over low-population areas for safety reasons, the science to be collected during the mission, cost, wind speed and direction, and many more.

Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility, Texas

Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility, Palestine, is located just west of the Palestine Municipal Airport. The site encompasses about 192 hectares (474 acres) consisting of open and forested lands, two balloon launch pads, and several permanent buildings; the land and facilities are owned by NASA.

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2014_ldsd_balloon_brodman.jpg

Fort Sumner, New Mexico

Fort Sumner is located at the Fort Sumner Municipal Airport in New Mexico. Fort Sumner consists of a large World War II hangar (used for equipment and launch vehicle storage, as well as science payload storage and integration), a NASA payload processing facility that includes offices and an operations control center, and a launch pad.

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A large scientific observatory with reflective solar panels is suspended from a crane while connected to an orange parachute that is laid on the snow-covered ground. A mountain covered in snow is in the distance.

McMurdo Station, Antarctic

Launches are conducted from Long Duration Balloon launch pad, located about eight miles from McMurdo Station on the Ross Ice Shelf. ince 1996, the launch site has been operated exclusively as a field camp to support scientific balloon operations.

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People stand around a partially inflated scientific balloon, which is plastic, see-through in the shape of an upside down teardrop. There is a small mountain range in the background and bright blue sky with a few clouds.

Esrange, Sweden

Kiruna, Sweden (Esrange) is located about 67.86 degrees north latitude and 21.08 degrees east longitude. Launch operations are normally conducted between May 15 and July 10 of each year. 

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A crane is leading a scientific balloon before launch. The balloon is to the right, and appears an a plastic, upside down teardrop. A tube attached to the top of the balloon leads down to the ground where a number of personnel are holding it. To the left, a crane holding a large payload structure with many solar panels is attached to the end of the balloon.

Alice Springs, Australia

Alice Springs, Australia is located about 23.82 degrees south latitude and 133.88 degrees west longitude. Launch operations are normally conducted between Nov. 1 (flight ready by Dec. 1) and Jan. 20 of each year. 

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NASA launches a Raven Aerostar high-altitude balloon.

Wanaka, New Zealand

Wanaka, New Zealand is located about -44.72 degrees south latitude and 169.24 degrees west longitude. Launch operations are currently conducted between February 15 (flight ready by April 1) and April 30 of each year.

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Earth map with NASA Balloon Launch locations highlighted.
The balloon flights from launch locations in the U.S. are usually short, hours to a day. These are called conventional balloon flights. The duration from other locations are longer, days to weeks. These are called long-duration balloon flights.
NASA
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