Sébastien CHASTANET

Benoît Tudoux, médaille de cristal du CNRS 2018. Spécialiste de la production et l’analyse de données quantitatives en sciences sociales au Laboratoire interdisciplinaire solidarités, sociétés, territoires.

Florence Mazier, médaille de bronze du CNRS 2018. Chercheuse en botanique et palynologie et co-responsable de l’axe 1 Paléoenvironnements, écologie historique et sociétés au laboratoire Géographie de l’environnement.

Gérard Latil, médaille de cristal du CNRS 2018. Responsable des élevages de vertébrés et invertébrés (fourmis, araignées, criquets, poissons...) au Centre de recherches sur la cognition animale de l’université Paul Sabatier de Toulouse.

The PILOT gondola ascends into the sky above the Alice Springs balloon launch base in Australia. The flight, which lasted 33 hours and 40 minutes, took place on 16-17 April 2017. The gondola reached a maximum altitude of 40 km. The purpose of the PILOT mission is to measure submillimetric polarised emissions from interstellar dust, in order to gain insights into the origins of the universe. More specifically, the project aims to map the magnetic fields in the interstellar clouds of the Milky…

The PILOT gondola is attached to the auxiliary balloon prior to release, at the Alice Springs launch facility in Australia. The 800.000 cu. m load-carrying stratospheric balloon, 50 times larger than the auxiliary balloon, will take over and lift the gondola, which weighs 1,058 kg, to an altitude of several tens of kilometres. Auxiliary balloons are used to raise delicate equipment off the ground, with the main balloon taking over afterwards. The PILOT astronomical science gondola, with a…

A truck tows the PILOT gondola, attached to an auxiliary balloon, toward the stratospheric balloon, on the tarmac in Alice Springs, Australia. The load-carrying stratospheric balloon, 50 times larger than the auxiliary balloon, will take over and lift the gondola to an altitude of several tens of kilometres. Auxiliary balloons are used to raise delicate equipment off the ground, with the main balloon taking over afterwards. The PILOT astronomical science gondola, with a telescope payload, has…

The PILOT gondola, seen a few hours before launch, in the hangar at the Alice Springs balloon launch base in Australia. The PILOT astronomical science gondola, with a telescope payload, has been designed for use in studying the origins of the universe. Its purpose is to measure submillimetric polarised emissions from interstellar dust. More specifically, the project aims to map the magnetic fields in the interstellar clouds of the Milky Way, and study their role in star formation These…

The PILOT gondola ascends into the sky above the Alice Springs balloon launch base in Australia. Here we see the various components of the flight assembly, including the main balloon, a parachute, a radar reflector and the gondola. The flight, which lasted 33 hours and 40 minutes, took place on 16-17 April 2017. The gondola reached a maximum altitude of 40 km. The purpose of the PILOT mission is to measure submillimetric polarised emissions from interstellar dust, in order to gain insights into…

The stratospheric balloon for the PILOT mission, on the tarmac at the Alice Springs facility in Australia. The balloon, which will expand to a volume of 800.000 cu. m, is inflated on the ground until it becomes buoyant. The PILOT astronomical science balloon, designed for use in studying the origins of the universe, aims to measure submillimetric polarised emissions from interstellar dust. More specifically, the project aims to map the magnetic fields in the interstellar clouds of the Milky Way…

A truck tows the PILOT gondola, attached to an auxiliary balloon, toward the stratospheric balloon, on the tarmac in Alice Springs, Australia. The load-carrying stratospheric balloon, 50 times larger than the auxiliary balloon, will take over and lift the gondola to an altitude of several tens of kilometres. Auxiliary balloons are used to raise delicate equipment off the ground, with the main balloon taking over afterwards. The PILOT astronomical science gondola, with a telescope payload, has…

Rolling out the PILOT gondola prior to launch, at the Alice Springs facility in Australia. The PILOT astronomical science gondola, with a telescope payload, has been designed for use in studying the origins of the universe. Its purpose is to measure submillimetric polarised emissions from interstellar dust. More specifically, the project aims to map the magnetic fields in the interstellar clouds of the Milky Way, and study their role in star formation These unprecedented measurements are being…

The stratospheric balloon for the PILOT mission, on the tarmac at the Alice Springs facility in Australia. The balloon, which will expand to a volume of 800.000 cu. m, is inflated on the ground until it becomes buoyant. The PILOT astronomical science balloon, designed for use in studying the origins of the universe, aims to measure submillimetric polarised emissions from interstellar dust. More specifically, the project aims to map the magnetic fields in the interstellar clouds of the Milky Way…

The stratospheric balloon for the PILOT mission, on the tarmac at the Alice Springs facility in Australia. The balloon, which will expand to a volume of 800.000 cu. m, is inflated on the ground until it becomes buoyant. The PILOT astronomical science balloon, designed for use in studying the origins of the universe, aims to measure submillimetric polarised emissions from interstellar dust. More specifically, the project aims to map the magnetic fields in the interstellar clouds of the Milky Way…

Rolling out the PILOT gondola prior to launch, at the Alice Springs facility in Australia. The PILOT astronomical science gondola, with a telescope payload, has been designed for use in studying the origins of the universe. Its purpose is to measure submillimetric polarised emissions from interstellar dust. More specifically, the project aims to map the magnetic fields in the interstellar clouds of the Milky Way, and study their role in star formation These unprecedented measurements are being…

The stratospheric balloon for the PILOT mission, on the tarmac at the Alice Springs facility in Australia. The balloon, which will expand to a volume of 800.000 cu. m, is inflated on the ground until it becomes buoyant. The PILOT astronomical science balloon, designed for use in studying the origins of the universe, aims to measure submillimetric polarised emissions from interstellar dust. More specifically, the project aims to map the magnetic fields in the interstellar clouds of the Milky Way…

The PILOT gondola, seen a few hours before launch, in the hangar at the Alice Springs balloon launch base in Australia. The PILOT astronomical science gondola, with a telescope payload, has been designed for use in studying the origins of the universe. Its purpose is to measure submillimetric polarised emissions from interstellar dust. More specifically, the project aims to map the magnetic fields in the interstellar clouds of the Milky Way, and study their role in star formation These…

The stratospheric balloon for the PILOT mission, on the tarmac at the Alice Springs facility in Australia. The balloon, which will expand to a volume of 800,000 cu. m, is inflated on the ground until it becomes buoyant. The PILOT astronomical science balloon, designed for use in studying the origins of the universe, aims to measure submillimetric polarised emissions from interstellar dust. More specifically, the project aims to map the magnetic fields in the interstellar clouds of the Milky Way…

The PILOT gondola is attached to the auxiliary balloon prior to release, at the Alice Springs launch facility in Australia. The 800.000 cu. m load-carrying stratospheric balloon, 50 times larger than the auxiliary balloon, will take over and lift the gondola, which weighs 1,058 kg, to an altitude of several tens of kilometres. Auxiliary balloons are used to raise delicate equipment off the ground, with the main balloon taking over afterwards. The PILOT astronomical science gondola, with a…

A truck tows the PILOT gondola, attached to an auxiliary balloon, toward the stratospheric balloon, on the tarmac in Alice Springs, Australia. The load-carrying stratospheric balloon, 50 times larger than the auxiliary balloon, will take over and lift the gondola to an altitude of several tens of kilometres. Auxiliary balloons are used to raise delicate equipment off the ground, with the main balloon taking over afterwards. The PILOT astronomical science gondola, with a telescope payload, has…

The PILOT gondola, seen a few hours before launch, in the hangar at the Alice Springs balloon launch base in Australia. The PILOT astronomical science gondola, with a telescope payload, has been designed for use in studying the origins of the universe. Its purpose is to measure submillimetric polarised emissions from interstellar dust. More specifically, the project aims to map the magnetic fields in the interstellar clouds of the Milky Way, and study their role in star formation These…

A tethered balloon is used to identify the wind direction in preparation for the CARMEN/CASOLBA flight at the Alice Springs balloon launch base in Australia. To maximise the flight altitude and duration, balloon launches for the various missions must be planned to coincide with stratospheric wind inversions. The research team therefore consulted data from satellites, radiosonde balloons and tethered balloons, as shown here, in search of the ideal meteorological conditions. CARMEN …

Launching a lightweight dilatable sounding balloon in preparation for the PILOT, CLIMAT and CARMEN/CASOLBA missions at the Alice Springs balloon launch base in Australia. These small, sealed dilatable balloons are of the same type as used to gather meteorological data (weather balloons). Despite having a limited payload weight, this type of balloon can collect a great deal of useful data via a wide variety of instruments, such as particle counters or ozone meters, which measure the ozone…

Inflating the auxiliary balloon that will lift the CLIMAT gondola pending its flight at the Alice Springs balloon launch base in Australia. The load-carrying stratospheric balloon, 50 times larger than the auxiliary balloon, will take over and lift the gondola to an altitude of several tens of kilometres. Auxiliary balloons are used to raise delicate equipment off the ground, with the main balloon taking over afterwards. CLIMAT is a 240 kg gondola, carried under a 150,000 cu. m balloon to a…

Setting up lighting equipment ready for the CLIMAT release at the Alice Springs balloon launch base in Australia. The CLIMAT flight (Combination of Lasers and Instruments for in situ Measurement of the Atmosphere of Earth) concerns a group of experiments by French and European laboratories aimed at furthering research into atmospheric physics and chemistry. For example, its 2015 flight enabled scientists to identify a 10% increase in methane in columns between 0 km and 15 km between 2000 and…

Inflating the auxiliary balloon that will lift the CLIMAT gondola pending its flight at the Alice Springs balloon launch base in Australia. The load-carrying stratospheric balloon, 50 times larger than the auxiliary balloon, will take over and lift the gondola to an altitude of several tens of kilometres. Auxiliary balloons are used to raise delicate equipment off the ground, with the main balloon taking over afterwards. CLIMAT is a 240 kg gondola, carried under a 150,000 cu. m balloon to a…

Preparing the CARMEN gondola flight assembly at the Alice Springs facility in Australia. The flight assembly generally consists of the gondola and its payload of scientific instruments, but also a radar transponder, parachutes to enable a controlled landing during the balloon's post-mission descent, and a small auxiliary balloon from which the gondola is suspended pending lift-off. The CLIMAT flight (Combination of Lasers and Instruments for in situ Measurement of the Atmosphere of Earth)…

Preparing the CARMEN gondola at the Alice Springs balloon launch base in Australia. CARMEN (ChARacterisation and Modelling of the Environment) is a gondola designed to carry a modular payload of scientific instruments, suspended from a stratospheric balloon. It eliminates the need to develop dedicated gondolas (designed specifically for a particular instrument and as such, impractical to reuse). CASOLBA was installed in CARMEN for the Austral campaign of April 2017. The CASOLBA (CALibration of…

Inflating the auxiliary balloon that will lift the CLIMAT gondola pending its flight at the Alice Springs balloon launch base in Australia. The load-carrying stratospheric balloon, 50 times larger than the auxiliary balloon, will take over and lift the gondola to an altitude of several tens of kilometres. Auxiliary balloons are used to raise delicate equipment off the ground, with the main balloon taking over afterwards. CLIMAT is a 240 kg gondola, carried under a 150,000 cu. m balloon to a…

The operational services module in the CARMEN gondola at the Alice Springs balloon launch base in Australia. Situated in the core of the flight assembly, the operational service gondola receives and transmits data between the airborne and ground-based segments, and controls the aerostat (stratospheric balloon) in flight. It contains the flight avionics components, including the onboard computers, transponder and ballast container. In particular, these gondolas enable the actuation of gas- or…

Inflating the auxiliary balloon that will lift the CLIMAT gondola pending its flight at the Alice Springs balloon launch base in Australia. The load-carrying stratospheric balloon, 50 times larger than the auxiliary balloon, will take over and lift the gondola to an altitude of several tens of kilometres. Auxiliary balloons are used to raise delicate equipment off the ground, with the main balloon taking over afterwards. CLIMAT is a 240 kg gondola, carried under a 150,000 cu. m balloon to a…

Preparing the CARMEN gondola flight assembly at the Alice Springs facility in Australia. The flight assembly generally consists of the gondola and its payload of scientific instruments, but also a radar transponder, parachutes to enable a controlled landing during the balloon's post-mission descent, and a small auxiliary balloon from which the gondola is suspended pending lift-off. The CLIMAT flight (Combination of Lasers and Instruments for in situ Measurement of the Atmosphere of Earth)…

Configuring the radar transponder part of the flight string, in preparation for the PILOT, CLIMAT and CARMEN/CASOLBA missions at the Alice Springs facility in Australia. This operation is performed before each flight, as part of the operational service gondola configuration procedure. The role of the radar transponder is to enable communication with other aircraft. Situated in the core of the flight assembly, the operational service gondola receives and transmits data between the airborne and…

The payload launch vehicle retains the CLIMAT flight assembly prior to release at the Alice Springs facility in Australia. The flight assembly generally consists of the gondola and its payload of scientific instruments, but also a radar transponder, parachutes to enable a controlled landing during the balloon's post-mission descent, and a small auxiliary balloon from which the gondola is suspended pending lift-off. The CLIMAT flight (Combination of Lasers and Instruments for in situ Measurement…

Inflating the auxiliary balloon that will lift the CLIMAT gondola pending its flight at the Alice Springs balloon launch base in Australia. The load-carrying stratospheric balloon, 50 times larger than the auxiliary balloon, will take over and lift the gondola to an altitude of several tens of kilometres. Auxiliary balloons are used to raise delicate equipment off the ground, with the main balloon taking over afterwards. CLIMAT is a 240 kg gondola, carried under a 150,000 cu. m balloon to a…

A tethered balloon is used to identify the wind direction in preparation for the CLIMAT flight at the Alice Springs balloon launch base in Australia. To maximise the flight altitude and duration, balloon launches for the various missions must be planned to coincide with stratospheric wind inversions. The research team therefore consulted data from satellites, radiosonde balloons and tethered balloons, as shown here, in search of the ideal meteorological conditions. The CLIMAT mission (…

Inflating the auxiliary balloon that will lift the CLIMAT gondola pending its flight at the Alice Springs balloon launch base in Australia. The load-carrying stratospheric balloon, 50 times larger than the auxiliary balloon, will take over and lift the gondola to an altitude of several tens of kilometres. Auxiliary balloons are used to raise delicate equipment off the ground, with the main balloon taking over afterwards. CLIMAT is a 240 kg gondola, carried under a 150,000 cu. m balloon to a…

Preparing the CARMEN gondola flight assembly at the Alice Springs facility in Australia. The flight assembly generally consists of the gondola and its payload of scientific instruments, but also a radar transponder, parachutes to enable a controlled landing during the balloon's post-mission descent, and a small auxiliary balloon from which the gondola is suspended pending lift-off. The CLIMAT flight (Combination of Lasers and Instruments for in situ Measurement of the Atmosphere of Earth)…

Weather check before launching the CLIMAT gondola at the Alice Springs balloon launch base in Australia. The CLIMAT flight (Combination of Lasers and Instruments for in situ Measurement of the Atmosphere of Earth) concerns a group of experiments by French and European laboratories aimed at furthering research into atmospheric physics and chemistry. CLIMAT is a 240 kg gondola, carried under a 150,000 cu. m balloon to a ceiling altitude of 33 km. For example, its 2015 flight enabled scientists to…

Inflating the auxiliary balloon that will lift the CLIMAT gondola pending its flight at the Alice Springs balloon launch base in Australia. The load-carrying stratospheric balloon, 50 times larger than the auxiliary balloon, will take over and lift the gondola to an altitude of several tens of kilometres. Auxiliary balloons are used to raise delicate equipment off the ground, with the main balloon taking over afterwards. CLIMAT is a 240 kg gondola, carried under a 150,000 cu. m balloon to a…