General News

TIGER, a balloon that collects data to help physicists discover the origins of cosmic rays, has broken a record for the length of its flight.

TIGER, a balloon that collects data to help physicists discover the origins of cosmic rays, has broken a record for the longest balloon flight ever. Scientists in the University of Minnesota Space Physics program are part of the team that put together the Trans-Iron Galactic Element Recorder or TIGER, which was launched on December 20th, 2001 and was cut down on January 21st after making two trips around the South Pole. According to Physics Professor, Jake Waddington, "It will have travelled some 10,000 miles and collected about four million cosmic ray iron nuclei." TIGER s total flight time was 31 days 21.5 hours, a new record for a zero pressure balloon (a balloon that is open at the bottom and typically loses gas every night). Its flight was aided by the circumpolar winds that blow at this time of year. TIGER landed about 300 miles away from its launch point and is expected to be recovered this year.