International News

Larger means higher – and recently the largest stratospheric balloon ever to be launched from Esrange Space Center rose from the ground in northern Sweden. On its way to its destination in North America, it will study X-rays in the polar atmosphere.

Behind BOOMS, as the payload is called, stands NASA. The name is short for Balloon Observation of Microburst Scales. It is a high-resolution imager of X-rays from energetic electron microbursts that occur high in the atmosphere closest to the poles. The record-sized balloon that carries the research experiment is 1.7 million cubic meter (60 million cubic feet, MCF) large. That extra size will take the balloon to new heights.

The flight is a test to qualify the 60 MCF balloon for higher altitudes than 150,000 feet, equivalent to an altitude of about 45.7 kilometers. This is higher than NASA’s previous stratospheric balloons have ever flown, and at that height you are above 99 percent of the Earth’s atmosphere, which is beneficial for studying various radiation that would otherwise be blocked by it.

“The 60MCF balloon is of high importance to the scientific community. Some of the instruments that are being flown are so sensitive to interference from the atmosphere that even flying a little bit higher than our typical altitude of 120000-130000 feet can bring a lot of scientific reward. Qualification of this balloon will allow NASA to continue to stretch the boundaries of what we provide to the scientific community,” says Andrew Hamilton, Director of NASA’s Balloon Program Office.

The on-board experiment aims to take the first high-resolution images of X-ray radiation from so-called electron microbursts. This precipitation only occurs in certain places in the Earth’s magnetic field, why the launching site in northern Sweden is especially important.

“The fact that NASA has chosen to carry out such an important test flight at Esrange is shows that our close collaboration that has been going on for several decades still continues. Esrange is a unique asset for international research at the very highest level,” says Lennart Poromaa, SSC President Science Services and site manager at Esrange Space Center.

For SSC, BOOMS is the largest balloon ever launched. At its cruising altitude, the ambient air pressure outside the balloon is so low that the gas inside the balloon expands to its full size. By then, it measures approximately three times the volume of Avicii arena (formerly known as the Stockholm Globe Arena). Few places in the world can facilitate launches of balloons of this size – and Esrange is one of them.

“During the early summer and up until now, we have launched seven giant balloons from Esrange, and we have had both the French space agency CNES and the American equivalent NASA on site at the same time. It is something truly unique as we now have reached the crescendo of our balloon bonanza with the launch of the largest balloon ever. This shows that we are among the best in the world at what we do,” says Lennart Poromaa.

Region Gotland, the largest island in the Baltic Sea, has signed a collaboration agreement with hybrid-electric airplane maker Heart Aerospace to speed up the introduction of sustainable air travel.

Located off the south-east coast of mainland Sweden, Gotland is home to approximately 61,000 permanent residents, with its population growing dramatically during the summer months as it is one of Sweden’s most popular vacation destinations. Reliable and sustainable transportation is vital for Gotland’s accessibility and development, making this initiative crucial for the region.

Region Gotland has committed to the goal of having at least one operator flying commercially with electric aircraft to and from the island. This initiative aligns with broader objectives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and enhance the region’s attractiveness. A roadmap for the introduction of electric aviation on Gotland has been developed by Science Park Gotland in the spring of 2024, on the initiative of Region Gotland, Gotland’s business community, and the electric aviation industry. The plan, which will be launched tomorrow, Friday, outlines the steps needed to achieve this goal.

“On Gotland, we are entirely dependent on air and ferry traffic to and from the island, and we must be able to travel sustainably. This decision to deepen the collaboration with Heart Aerospace is an important milestone in our journey towards sustainable communications,” said Meit Fohlin, Social Democrats, Chair of the Regional Executive Board.

Heart Aerospace is developing the ES-30, a regional hybrid-electric airplane with a standard seating capacity of 30 passengers, which promises to deliver unparalleled sustainability and efficiency on short-haul routes. With a fully electric zero-emission range of 200 kilometers and an extended hybrid range of 400 kilometers, the ES-30 offers lower emissions and operating costs.

“Heart Aerospace has just entered an exciting new phase of hardware testing, and our aim is to have a hybrid-electric passenger plane on the market before the end of this decade;” said Anders Forslund, co-founder and CEO of Heart Aerospace. “As we get closer to this goal, collaborations with airports, operators and regional authorities are crucial to ensure the eco-system needed to support electric aviation. We look forward to working together with Region Gotland to make this a reality.”

The collaboration between Region Gotland and Heart Aerospace will explore operational needs, technical requirements, ground infrastructure and maintenance, and business models. Last year, Heart Aerospace announced a similar collaboration with the Government of Åland, an autonomous region in Finland.

Heart Aerospace has already secured 250 orders for the ES-30, with options and purchase rights for another 120 airplanes. The company also has letters of intent for a further 191 airplanes.