Purpose of the flight and payload description
The flight was part of a an international collaboration project called IRSA (Integrated Remote Sensing for the Arctic) developed by the IRSA Development Group. IRSA is a system-of-systems designed to provide continuous remote sensing and situational awareness in the Arctic. It integrates satellites, drones of various types, optionally piloted aircraft, sea and subsea vehicles, balloons and ground stations into a single network, serving both civilian and defense needs.
Its main objectives are to ensure persistent monitoring, deliver real-time data for governments, industry, and research, and support applications such as environmental change tracking, maritime surveillance, traffic monitoring, search and rescue, and security operations. The system combines satellite constellations with long-endurance drones, high-altitude pseudo-satellites, small tactical UAVs, unmanned ships, submarines, and advanced command-and-control centers to provide a joint operating picture of the Arctic.
Developed through an international consortium including Andøya Space, Boeing, C-CORE, and others, IRSA is being tested and demonstrated in the ArcticX campaigns, which showcase its capacity to detect ships, icebergs, environmental threats, and emergencies, ultimately aiming to make Arctic monitoring and safety a scalable commercial service.
Video footage of the launch operations
Details of the balloon flight
Balloon launched on: 8/13/2025 at 4:00 UTC
Launch site: Nordmela, Andoya, Norway
Balloon launched by: Andoya Space / Spaceline Labs.
Balloon manufacturer/size/composition: Zero Pressure Balloon
End of flight (L for landing time, W for last contact, otherwise termination time): 8/3/2025 at ~ 6:50 UTC
Balloon flight duration (F: time at float only, otherwise total flight time in d:days / h:hours or m:minutes - ): ~ 3 h
Landing site: In Andfjorden Fiord, Norway
The balloon was launched from a concrete launch pad located south of Nordmela at 4:00 UTC on August 13, 2025. After a nominal ascent phase the balloon flew over the Island of Andoya until termination three hours later off the coast of Dverberg. A boat was used to recover the balloon and payload.
External references
- Successful balloon flight Andoya Space website
Images of the mission
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