NASA's Balloon Program has moved past the halfway mark of its fall launch campaign in Fort Sumner, New Mexico, having completed four successful missions while preparing for two remaining flights in the coming weeks.
Operations at the remote launch site are currently navigating weather challenges. According to NASA, upper-level winds near Fort Sumner are being affected by Hurricane Polo, requiring teams to carefully evaluate when conditions will permit the next operations.
Upcoming Flights and Refurbishment
Launch teams are assessing windows for two remaining missions: the Mullenax test flight and a possible reflight of the CORSAIR/WASP scientific payload. The CORSAIR/WASP team is currently reviewing whether its hardware can be refurbished and readied for a second launch attempt before the current campaign concludes.
The push to relaunch follows an aborted flight attempt on Sept. 19. During that launch, the payload's gondola struck the ground shortly after liftoff. Flight operators waited until the balloon reached an altitude sufficient for safe parachute deployment before terminating the flight.
NASA reported that the Sept. 19 incident caused no injuries and no damage to facility property. The agency stated that aborts of this type fall within accepted operational risks for the high-altitude balloon program.
Specialists are investigating the incident as a technical anomaly while the team works through refurbishment options to determine if CORSAIR/WASP can return to the flight line alongside the Mullenax test flight.
