FORTRESS,

S/27/65

.  X-RAY RESEARCH BALLOON REACHES ;  Ã¢ÂÂ

117,000 FT. IN FLIGHT OVER N.S.V,

(Statement by the Hon. Allen Fairhall,

Minister for Supply) '

An upper atmospheric X-ray research balloon reached a

maximum altitude of 117,000 feet in a successful 6f hour flight

today from Vaikerie (South Australia) to a point in open scrub

country five miles north-vest of Balranald (N.3.V.)

Ã¢ÂÂ   The Minister for Supply (Mr, Allen Fairhall) said in

Canberra tonight that scientists and research vorkers associated

vith the experiment had agreed that it was a complete success.

It is understood that the huge balloon, made of thin

polythene material and filled vith helium gas, vas the biggest of its

type ever released in Australia, The balloon also set an Australian

high altitude record for its size and type.

The Australian Department of Supply, the United States

Atomic Energy Commission and the U,S, National Aeronautics and Space

Administration co-operated vith the Department of Fhysics of the

University of Adelaide and the Graduate Research Centre of Southvest

U.S.A., Dallas (Texas) in enabling the experiment to be conducted from

the Project Hibal Balloon Launching Station at Mildura (Victoria).

Officers of the Department of Supply conducted the balloon

flight on behalf of the universities' research teams engaged in the

experiment.

The helium-filled balloon vas released from the glider

field at Vaikerie (South Aust) at 8.32a.m. (Eastern Standard Time) and

landed slightly north-vest of Balranald ( ÃÂ . 3 . ÃÂ 7 . ) at 3.3pm (E.S.T.)

A ground recovery crev usj.ng four-vheel drive vehicles

recovered the instrument packages undamaged shortly after the payhoad

descended. Its flight vas folloved and tracked all the vay from Y/aikerie

by a pilot in a chase plane.

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Department of Supply officers left Mildura early in the

morning to drive about 140 miles to Waikerie to make the balloon

launch,

.  As the balloon floated higher and drifted towards the

Balranald district,  an X-ray receiving telescope located at the

Mildura Balloon Launching Station was used in an effort to pinÂ­

point the source of X-rays emanating in outer space, .

This experiment in the field of X-ray astronomy was

undertaken by physicists of the University of Adelaide and the

Graduate Research Centre, Dallas, as a further move to locate the

stars or galaxy from which the X-rays are emitted.

Dr, Paul Edwards, of the University of Adelaide, and

Tasmanian-born Professor Ken McCracken, Professor of Atmospheric

and Space Sciences, of the Graduate Research Centre (Dallas), were

in charge of the X-ray astronomy experiment.

The U*5. Atomic Energy Commission and N.A.S.A, CoÂ­

operated with the research teams in providing the balloon,

helium gas and ground station facilities at Mildura and Vaikerie,

and the ground receiving equipment was provided by the University

of Adelaide in conjunction with the Dallas group*

The balloon used in the flight measured 260 ft. in

length with a diameter of 176 ft. It carried special X-ray

measuring equipment which weighed 382 lbs, in flight.

It was the 252nd upper atmospheric balloon flight

conducted from the Mildura station since Project Hibal was

commenced there in December, I960, on behalf of the U.S. Atomic

Energy Commission..

Thursday, April 29, 1965 P.M,

CANBERRA A.C ,T. .  .

