Purpose of the flight and payload description
The objective of the flight was to measure the flux of primary helium nuclei in cosmic radiation near the geomagnetic equator as part of Operation Churchy, an expedition to the equatorial zone carried out abord the seaplane tender USS Currituck by the Office of Naval Research of the U.S. Navy.
The detector consisted of a stack of stripped nuclear photographic emulsions made of Ilford G.5 emulsion. The emulsions recorded charged-particle tracks for the identification of helium nuclei.
Details of the balloon flight
Balloon launched on: 9/7/1953 at 7:31 local time
Launch site: USS Currituck (AV-7)
Balloon launched by: General Mills Inc.
Balloon manufacturer/size/composition: Zero Pressure Balloon General Mills 85
Flight identification number: GMI 1072
End of flight (L for landing time, W for last contact, otherwise termination time): 9/7/1953 at 16:02 local time
Balloon flight duration (F: time at float only, otherwise total flight time in d:days / h:hours or m:minutes - ): 8 h 30 m
Landing site: In Pacific Ocean at 1º 7' S 97º 59' W
Campaign: OPERATION CHURCHY
Payload weight: 149 lbs
The balloon was launched at 7:31 local time. After a nominal ascent it reached an altitude of near 95.000 ft and maintained that level flight for 8 hours. The payload impacted in the Pacific Ocean at 16:02 local time and was succesfully recovered
External references
- Flux of primary helium near the geomagnetic equator Suplemento a Il Nuovo Cimento Nº 2, 1958 Pag. 509
- Nonmesonic Decay of a Helium Hyperfragment Phys. Rev. 100, 1480 (1955)
- Project Skyhook - Final report projects 85022 and 85023 General Mills Mechanical Division - Report Nº 1434 - July 1955
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