Well, it’s a week since my last post ... time flies - which is more than can be said about PoGOLite: we’re still on the ground. We’re ready to go but the weather is not cooperating. Around this time last year, 5 large balloons (including PoGOLite) had already been sent up from Esrange. This year, we are still waiting for the first launch. Frustrating!
Wind conditions have simply been too unstable to allow a launch. As well as low surface winds during balloon inflation, the wind speeds at higher altitudes must also be low. It’s also very important that the wind direction is constant during launch preparations and the launch itself. The consequences of unexpected changes in the wind direction during launch were illustrated by last year’s failed PoGOLite launch.
So... we have to wait. Experimental science requires patience!
/Mark
