Lok Sabha Question No. 4483 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-03-29
Subject: Balloon Flights for Scientific Expedition
Ministry: ATOMIC ENERGY
Asked by: HARI BABU KAMBHAMPATI

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA DEPARTMENT OF ATOMIC ENERGY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO: 4483

TO BE ANSWERED ON 29.03.2017

## BALLOON FLIGHTS FOR SCIENTIFIC EXPEDITION

## 4483.  DR. KAMBHAMPATI HARIBABU:

Will the PRIME MINISTER be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government proposes to release balloon flights for scientific expedition in the country;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and the steps taken by the Government in this regard;
- (c) whether the Government proposes to create awareness among the people about the balloon drifts and safe recovery of the instruments thereon;
- (d) if so, the details thereof and the steps taken by the Government in this regard; and
- (e) the fund allocated for the said purpose?

## ANSWER

## THE  MINISTER  OF  STATE  FOR  PERSONNEL,  PUBLIC  GRIEVANCES  & PENSIONS AND PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE (Dr. JITENDRA SINGH) :

- (a)&(b)  Scientific Ballooning was started in India during the 1950's by Dr. Homi J. Bhabha under  the  aegis  of  the  Tata  Institute  of  Fundamental  Research  (TIFR),  an autonomous  body  under  the  Department  of  Atomic  Energy  (DAE)  and  was established in the outskirts of Hyderabad in the 1970's.  Since then, more than 490 balloon flights of various sizes have been conducted from this center till date. This is  one  of  the  unique  facilities  in  the  world  where  stratospheric  zero  pressure balloons  are  designed,  fabricated  with  indigenous  material,  launched  and  the instruments recovered. The balloons designed and fabricated in this facility have also  been  exported  to  foreign  scientific  institutions  and  many  foreign  scientific missions have also been flown from the Hyderabad balloon facility.

Balloons  supplied  by  this  facility  are  used  to  measure  vertical  wind  profiles  at SDSC-SHAR  before  launch  of  satellites  by  ISRO  and  also  for  qualifying  many instruments  in  near  space  environments  before  being  incorporated  in  satellites. This facility is also involved in experimental strategic programs of the armed forces. Experiments  carried  out  on  the  earth's  atmosphere  have  also  helped  in  rain prediction as well as pollution monitoring and control.

Any  scientific  institution  which  desires  to  conduct  scientific  balloon  flights  can approach  Balloon  Facility,  Hyderabad  and  send  the  proposal  for  conducting  the scientific experiment.

- (c)&(d)  TIFR ensures that all the concerned agencies are kept informed about the flights, their expected trajectory and their likely recovery area.

At  the  time  of  the  balloon  flights,  all  Air  Traffic  Controllers  (ATCs)  in  the  corridor allotted  for  balloon  flights  are  kept  informed  by  TIFR  well  in  advance  of  the trajectory of the balloon flight. During the balloon flight, the ATCs are kept informed of the actual position of the balloon on  minute by minute basis. The police stations in  the  vicinity  of  the  expected  landing  of  the  instruments  are  also  informed. Pamphlets  regarding  the  instruments  are  attached  to  the  instruments  in  various local languages and the persons to contact in case these instruments are sighted by  any  person,  are  prominently  displayed.  Also,  an  advance  party  of  TIFR technicians is always following the balloon trajectory in a vehicle so as to reach the landed instrument in the shortest possible time. Care is taken to try and release the payload in sparsely inhabited areas of the corridor and only in broad daylight so that the instrument descending on a brightly colored parachute is easily visible to any person on the ground.

In addition, for every flight window season, the Balloon Facility communicates with the  Chief  Secretary  of  Telangana  and  Andhra  Pradesh,  Police  Wireless  of Telangana,  Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra for awareness of balloon drift and instrument recovery.

- (e) In  the  case  of  balloon  flights  conducted  for  Government  funded  and  private institutions, the cost is recovered from the institution concerned. With regard to inhouse experiments and research and with regard to improving balloon design and efficiency and for procuring equipment for safely conducting balloon flights, funding from the Government (DAE) in terms of Plan Funds is about Rupees One crore per year.

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