a ground station, and within the permitted flight region). The payload may be rolled out to the launch area several times before surface and upper atmosphere conditions are acceptable for launch. During the flight, data is transmitted to the ground for quick-look analysis, and is usually recorded on board as well. Scientists on the ground usually actively control the payload. An astronomical telescope, for example, can be real time directed toward a variety of sources for observations, or left in an autonomous mode of operation. Launch Sites CSBF launches balloons from several sites in the world, depending on the needs of the experiment they carry. Sites include: Palestine, Texas Fort Sumner, New Mexico McMurdo Station, Antarctica Alice Springs, Australia Esrange, Sweden Fairbanks, Alaska Lynn Lake, Manitoba Wanaka, New Zealand Backup Control Center Since 2017, CSBF has been designated as the Backup Control Center (BCC) for the International Space Station's Mission Control Center (MCC) in Houston, TX. Approximately 3 hours from Houston, CSBF provides facilities that NASA can utilize for short-term control of the ISS in case MCC is evacuated. The BCC was temporarily activated in August 2020 while the Johnson Space Center prepared for Hurricane Laura. See also Superpressure balloon List of stratospheric balloon launches from there "A short history of NSBF (CSBF)" an article by Dwight Bawcom References External links Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility Homepage Balloon technology library, from Goddard Space Flight library NASA groups, organizations, and centers Goddard Space Flight Center Balloons (aeronautics) New Mexico State University 1961 establishments in Colorado