A stadium-sized pressure balloon launched by NASA in New Zealand began collecting data in near space on 26th April 2017.
This is beginning a 100-day planned journey after several launch attempts were thwarted by storms and cyclones.
The balloon, designed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to detect ultra-high energy cosmic particles from beyond the galaxy as they penetrate the earth’s atmosphere, is expected to circle the planet two or three times.
The balloon’s monitoring was only the start of a long quest which would next involve a space mission currently being designed by NASA, she added.
The balloon, launched on 24th April 2017 in Wanaka, a scenic spot on New Zealand’s South Island, will collect data from 34 km above the earth.
New Zealand was also the base for NASA’s scientific balloon programme in 2015 and 2016.
New Zealand: Know More- New Zealand is a country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean.
- It is consisting of 2 main islands, both marked by volcanoes and glaciation.
- Capital Wellington, on the North Island, is home to Te Papa Tongarewa, the expansive national museum.
- Capital: Wellington
- Code: +64
- Currency: New Zealand dollar
- Prime minister: Bill English
- Population: 4.596 million (2015) World Bank
