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ZHOU Jianghua, CHENG Junfei, CAI Rong, LIU Jifeng, YANG Yanchu, GAN Qingbo, YAN Daikang, HUANG Wanning, LI Yijian, LU Ying, CUI Yuxuan. Balloon-borne Astronomical Observations in Antarctica (in Chinese). Chinese Journal of Space Science, 2026, 46(3): 1-23 doi: 10.11728/cjss2026.03.2025-0191
Citation: ZHOU Jianghua, CHENG Junfei, CAI Rong, LIU Jifeng, YANG Yanchu, GAN Qingbo, YAN Daikang, HUANG Wanning, LI Yijian, LU Ying, CUI Yuxuan. Balloon-borne Astronomical Observations in Antarctica (in Chinese). Chinese Journal of Space Science, 2026, 46(3): 1-23 doi: 10.11728/cjss2026.03.2025-0191
shu

Balloon-borne Astronomical Observations in Antarctica

doi: 10.11728/cjss2026.03.2025-0191 cstr: 32142.14.cjss.2025-0191
  • 1.

    Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100094

  • 2.

    National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100012

  • 3.

    Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100094

  • Received Date: 2025-11-12
  • Rev Recd Date: 2026-03-02
    • Available Online: 2026-03-12
    Abstract
  • Antarctica is widely regarded as one of the most favorable natural laboratories for astronomy, owing to its exceptionally low atmospheric water vapor and correspondingly high transmittance across multiple wavebands. Beyond these radiative advantages, the Antarctic summer provides a unique operational regime for stratospheric scientific balloons: continuous daylight and a relatively stable polar vortex support long-duration, near-constant-float-altitude flights with circumpolar trajectories. These conditions enable balloon platforms to deliver space-like observing environments at substantially lower cost, with the added benefits of rapid iteration, recoverable payloads, and flexible mission design. Since 1984, the U.S. Antarctic balloon program - launched primarily from McMurdo Station - has carried out hundreds of balloon-borne experiments, with astronomical and astrophysical missions forming a major fraction of the overall portfolio. The resulting body of work spans two broad domains: particle astrophysics and electromagnetic (photon) astronomy. Representative themes include measurements of the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB), terahertz observations and broadband spectral imaging of Galactic targets, and particle-oriented investigations such as neutrino-related observations and searches for antimatter components. Together, these missions have helped advance frontier science while simultaneously maturing key enabling technologies for near-space instrumentation, including long-duration platform operations, pointing and stabilization, low-noise detector readout, cryogenic subsystems, background suppression strategies, and robust telemetry, recovery, and reflight capability. Building on publicly available literature and mission records, this paper provides a systematic review of Antarctic balloon-borne astronomical experiments, organizing prior efforts by observing band, scientific objective, and payload and instrument class. By synthesizing the scientific drivers and the evolution of mission concepts, the review also highlights how Antarctic ballooning serves as a practical bridge between ground-based facilities and space missions-de-risking high-impact hardware and observation strategies in a repeatable, lower-cost environment.Finally, we discuss prospects for developing China’s Antarctic balloon infrastructure. Establishing a dedicated polar balloon capability and conducting long-duration circumpolar balloon astronomy campaigns would strengthen China’s competitiveness in near-space astrophysics, accelerate technology readiness through iterative fielding, and enhance China’s scientific visibility and influence in Antarctic research.

     

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