Telescope rises to new heights

In a landmark test flight, the US National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) and a team of research partners this month successfully launched a solar telescope to an altitude of 36.576km, borne by a balloon larger than a Boeing 747 jumbo jet.

The test clears the way for long-duration polar balloon flights beginning in 2009 that will capture unprecedented details of the Sun's surface.

'This unique research project will enable us to view features of the Sun that we've never seen before,' said Michael Knölker, director of NCAR's High Altitude Observatory and a principal investigator on the project. 'We hope to unlock important mysteries about the Sun's magnetic field structures, which at times can cause electromagnetic storms in our upper atmosphere and may have an impact on Earth's climate.'

The project, known as Sunrise, may usher in a new generation of balloon-borne scientific missions that cost less than sending instruments into space. Scientists can also test an instrument on a balloon before making a commitment to launch it on a rocket.