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Strateole-2
Earth’s equator is where our planet’s most powerful atmospheric events occur, and their effects can be observed as far as the polar areas. However, many of these events remain largely misunderstood and are consequently poorly represented in meteorology and climate models. To fill this data gap from a remote area note covered by other sensing systems, the Strateole-2 project plans to launch several balloons from the Indian Ocean. Two scientific campaigns are scheduled; one between November 2020 and April 2021, the other between November 2023 and April 2024.
Each campaign will launch 20 helium-filled transparent stratospheric pressure balloons, spanning 11 to 13 meters and capable of staying aloft at an altitude of 18 to 20 km for over 3 months, thus circling the Earth along the equator 2 to 3 times to collect a wealth of data.
Some observations (temperature, wind, pressure) will be sent in near-real time to the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) to improve weather forecast in tropical regions.
With its renowned expertise in scientific ballooning, CNES is playing a central role in the Strateole-2 project, working in close collaboration with several French and American laboratories, including the LMD dynamic meterology laboratory, which is principal investigator on the project. The European Space Agency (ESA) also taking part in the mission to validate the Aladin instrument, scheduled to launch in late summer 2018 aboard the Aeolus satellite. Other instrument calibration and validation operations are being discussed. Strateole-2 is also part of the WMO’s SPARC climate programme.
Mission's news feed
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STRATEOLE-2 BALLOON FLIGHT CAMPAIGN GETS UNDERWAY IN THE SEYCHELLES
October 27, 2021
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Around the world in eight balloons with Strateole-2 News
Strateole-2 is a French-US project supported by ESA that uses CNES superpressure balloons drifting around the globe to study the climate processes in the Tropical Tropopause Layer...
June 26, 2020
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Stratéole-2 stratospheric balloons and international cooperation
CNES is commited to the 96 potential overflew contries of the intertropical zone for the security of the Stratéole-2 balloons and compliance with air regulations.
December 11, 2019