Integrated access to balloon-borne platforms for innovative research and technology

HEMERA will integrate a large Starting Community in the field of tropospheric and stratospheric balloon-borne research, in order to make existing balloon facilities available to all scientific teams in the EU. The project involves major space agencies dealing with balloon infrastructures, companies operating the balloons, companies providing the necessary technology and scientific experts. Balloon borne instruments are suitable for a wide range of science fields, such as atmospheric measurements, climate and environment related investigations, astronomy and astrophysics, space instruments validation and testing of new technologies. The objectives of HEMERA are to: - Provide better and coordinated balloon access to the troposphere and stratosphere for scientific and technological research - Attract new users to enlarge the community accessing the balloon infrastructure - Enlarge the fields of the science and technology research conducted with balloons - Improve the balloon service offered to scientific and technical users - Favour standardisation, synergy, complementarities and industrialisation through joint The infrastructure deals with a wide range of mission characteristics including altitude, flight duration, instrument mass and volume. Flights can be performed during all seasons at various latitudes, satisfying various scientific needs. Currently, the HEMERA programme will use the Zero Pressure Balloons for stratospheric flights (relevant for measuring Essential Climate Variables and for astrophysics), additional types of balloons can be considered. HEMERA will give access to launch bases and is thus capable of conducting scientific balloon campaigns, in Europe and abroad, necessary in particular for scientific issues in the context of climate change. HEMERA includes 3 major components : - Operational activities to organize and conduct the flights - Development of innovative technologies and infrastructure to optimize the balloon offer - Networking