After nine years of inactivity, NASA has re-established a facility in Palestine as a launch site for its heavy-lift scientific balloon program.

The Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility has launched more than 1,700 scientific balloons in its more than 35 years of operation, but has not launched a scientific balloon in Palestine since 2007. However, it is set to once again become a launch site when a 29.47-million-cubic-foot scientific balloon takes flight Thursday evening.

“Re-establishing CSBF as a launch site fills an operational gap, significantly enhancing our ability to deliver short-duration nighttime flight observation, which is key for certain types of science and technology demonstration flights,” Debbie Fairbrother, NASA’s Balloon Program Office chief, said.

When the balloon launches, it will be equipped with a 1,540-pound, balloon-borne imaging telescope called SuperBIT.

SuperBIT’s flight is designed as a technology demonstration mission to test and validate the instrument in advance of future balloon-borne studies. It will not conduct galactic observations since it operates just outside the visible light spectrum conducive to collecting such observations.

NASA is set to dispatch the balloon at 7 p.m. Thursday.

As the balloon escalates to its operational float elevation of 126,000 feet, it may be visible from the ground, particularly at sunset and sunrise. When fully inflated, the balloon is as large as a football stadium.

Those interested can track the real-time status of the balloon by visiting www.csbf.nasa.gov/palestine/psn.htm.

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