Retrieving the balloon gondola

A novel sensor that simulates the measurements that would be taken by one of the proposed satellites vying to be ESA’s eleventh Earth Explorer, has endured an extraordinary journey. Carried aboard a high-altitude balloon on a four-day voyage from Sweden to Canada, the sensor provides new data that could help refine the CAIRT mission concept – a mission that aims to unravel the complexities of Earth's atmosphere and enhance our understanding of climate dynamics.

The photograph shows the gondola, which had been carried by the balloon, after landing on Baffin Island.

Read full story: High-altitude balloon ride offers new perspective for CAIRT