Space agency launches experiments into the Timmins stratosphere

At the Canadian Space Agency hangar in Timmins, scientists are preparing to launch experiments they’ve been working on for years.

Timmins is currently the only place in Canada where stratospheric, zero-pressure balloon flights can take place. Soon, payloads will be sent into the stratosphere on large balloons.

“They’re quite large,” said Annie Rosenzveig, acting mission manager for the Canadian Space Agency’s stratospheric balloon program.

“We’re talking about gondolas that can have 1,000 kilograms on them -- and the balloon is about the size of a football field … So we really have this base in order for us to be able to do these launches and have scientists collect their data.”

A team of students from Queen’s University, along withAt the Canadian Space Agency hangar in Timmins, scientists are preparing to launch experiments they’ve been working on for years. dozens of other scientists and academics, is working to ensure the experiments can withstand conditions in the stratosphere.

Queen’s will launch a radio telescope on one of the flights for the first time to learn if it will be able to capture quality photographs.

Telescope on a balloon

“We think, actually, a telescope that’s on a balloon that moves can actually improve the quality of the images that you get and make better images of the regions around black holes at the centres of nearby galaxies,” said Laura Fissel, associate professor in the department of physics, engineering, physics and astronomy at Queen’s.

It’s one of several Canadian payloads from various universities and industries.

“We’ve got six different Canadian experiments that are going to be flying on this flight, hopefully early next week, depending on weather and the conditions,” said Rosenzveig.

“So they were basically getting ready, preparing the gondola for integration of all the payloads (and) then we’re adding some crash pads underneath the gondola, which really take some of the impact on landing.”

Ten balloons will be launched during this year’s Strato-Science month-long campaign, which wraps up Sept. 10.

“When the balloon lands, we have a recovery team that goes out and collects everything … with all the equipment they bring back,” said Rosenzveig.

“So everything is brought here, and it’s up to the university or industry, whoever is designing their payload, to take that back, download their data, analyze it.”

Since opening in 2013, the Canadian Space Agency said the Timmins base has supported nearly 100 experiments from more than 500 researchers and students from across the country.