1.10.2026
The Mullenax Test Flight was launched on a scientific balloon from NASA’s launch facility in Fort Sumner, New Mexico, at 7:57 a.m. MDT (9:57 a.m. EDT) on Sept. 28, 2026. The mission served as a training and hardware-testing platform for meteorology and rigging personnel while also carrying a mix of university and student-built science projects and experimental smart-camera technology.
The balloon and payload reached a float altitude of around 105,900 feet, and flew for a total of 10 hours, 14 minutes.
Fourth Balloon of NASA Scientific Balloon Campaign Launches
The BOOP! mission was launched on a scientific balloon from NASA’s launch facility in Fort Sumner, New Mexico, at 8:03 a.m. MDT (10:03 a.m. EDT) on Sept. 13, 2026. This is the second year for NASA’s Balloon Program Office’s Balloon Optimization Opportunity Payload, or BOOP!, which allows multiple technology instruments to be tested during flight for future missions. The mission carried experiments to test compact tools for future planetary exploration, map high-energy space radiation, and evaluate a newly developed flight camera system.
The balloon and payload reached a float altitude of around 123,000 feet, and flew for a total of 4 hours, 29 minutes.
Quelle: NASA