Image left: The CREAM Experiment lifts off. The CREAM mission was able to extend the amount of continuous science observational time over any previous balloon mission. The flight was for two orbits of the South Pole that lasted 31 days, 20 hours. The previous endurance record for a long duration balloon flight was in December 2001 from McMurdo. Payload recovery operations are in progress. ![]() The balloon traveled 41 days, 22 hours, landing on January 27, 660 kilometers (410 miles) from McMurdo Station. The pilot-less, helium-filled scientific balloon was launched from the National Science Foundation's McMurdo Station, Antarctica on Dec. The CREAM mission extended the continuous science observation time over previous balloon missions. The flight orbited the South Pole twice over 31 days, 20 hours. The previous endurance record for a balloon flight was in December 2001 from McMurdo. Image right:The CREAM Experiment is carried on this record breaking balloon. It landed on January 27, 660 kilometers (410 miles) from McMurdo Station. The balloon traveled 41 days and 22 hours. The ULDB is being developed to extend flights up to 100 days. ![]() In addition to gathering scientific data, the flight was a demonstration of the capabilities of the NASA Ultra-Long Duration Balloon (ULDB) support system. CREAM is designed to explore the supernova acceleration limit of cosmic rays, the relativistic gas of protons, electrons and heavy nuclei arriving at Earth from outside the solar system. The record-breaking balloon, almost as large as one and one half football fields, carried the Cosmic Ray Energetics And Mass (CREAM) experiment. Image left: Artist Rendition of an ultra long duration balloon. It soared for nearly 42 days, making three orbits around the South Pole. Flying near the edge of space, a NASA scientific balloon broke the flight record for duration and distance.
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