Test the BLAST balloon balloon in the South Pole sky

Canada and three partner countries, the United States, Britain and Mexico, have conducted an experiment in the South Pole sky. The 2,000kg heavy telescope called BLAST hangs on a giant helium balloon that observes space to study distant stars and galaxies.

Launched from the Antarctic McMurdo research station on December 21, 2006, the BLAST telescope will fly for a maximum of 10 days, creating circles at a height of 38,000m in the stratosphere around the ice continent.

This mission will allow finding answers in some basic questions about the formation and evolution of stars and galaxies. BLAST will observe many distant galaxies, studying the first stages of the formation of stars and planets, forming maps with high resolution of galactic radiation.

BLAST telescope is being transferred to the launch pad.

BLAST telescope was launched on December 21, 2006