The scientific balloon carried several compact instruments for future planetary exploration and space-radiation work.
Thumbnail source ↗A scientific balloon partially inflated before flight. The balloon is clear plastic in the shape of an upside down teardrop. The rest of the ballon trails behind it on the ground.
The value of balloon missions is that they let teams test hardware in a near-space environment without the cost and schedule of an orbital launch.
This flight included technology for planetary exploration, high-energy radiation mapping, and a new flight camera system.
BOOP! launched from Fort Sumner, New Mexico, on September 13 and flew for 4 hours, 29 minutes.
