NASA is targeting tomorrow (Saturday, May 13) to conduct a second super pressure balloon (SPB) test flight from Wānaka Airport.

Two flights are planned this year and the first (SuperBIT), which launched on Sunday, April 16, continues to ‘perform brilliantly’ NASA said in a statement, and has been at float for 25 days. SuperBIT is currently on its fourth circumnavigation of the southern hemisphere.

The second scheduled flight will carry the Extreme Universe Space Observatory 2 (EUSO-2) science mission. 

EUSO-2 aims to build on data collected during a 2017 mission by detecting ultra-high energy cosmic-ray particles from beyond our galaxy as they penetrate Earth’s atmosphere. The origins of these particles is not well known, so the data collected from EUSO-2 will help solve this scientific mystery.

NASA will begin flight preparations in the early morning hours on Saturday and continue to evaluate weather conditions throughout the morning. If weather is conducive for launch, lift-off is scheduled between 8am and 11:30am.

The public won’t be allowed at or to park alongside Wānaka Airport on the morning of the launch for flight safety reasons. However, immediately after lift-off, the balloon will be visible for miles around – the best viewing points will be on the hill on the Hāwea side of the Red Bridge by Kane Road or on the Hāwea Flat side of the Clutha River.

NASA's first ballon has circumnavigated the globe three times.

A live feed of the launch is available here.

Ongoing mission updates are also available on NASA’s Super Pressure Balloon blog.

NASA conducts SPB launches from New Zealand in collaboration with the Queenstown Airport Corporation, Queenstown Lake District Council, New Zealand Space Agency, and Airways New Zealand.

The NASA Balloon Program is funded by the NASA Headquarters Science Mission Directorate Astrophysics Division.

PHOTO: NASA/Bill Rodman