Virtual Tour - Dome: Balloon Inflation Tower

Meterological balloons studying the weather at the Pole are launched nearly every day. Here are four pictures from inflation to launch: (Note how small it starts out and how big it ends up!)

Here's another launch :

You have to look hard in this last shot, but you can see the balloon actually rising into the sky. Photos: CARA/R. Landsberg

Balloons that are launched for physics research are launched from McMurdo. See Long Duration Ballooning in Antarctica for more information. That link takes you out of the CARA Virtual Tour. Use your browser's "Back" button to return here.

Go back to the map of the dome.