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New stratospheric balloon experiments launched in Timmins

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The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) is back in Timmins launching stratospheric balloons to collect data about our atmosphere.

Working with France's space agency and scientists from around the world, officials said these launches can teach us about greenhouse gases and provide other scientific information.

Phillipe Vincent, the mission manager for the CSA's stratospheric balloon program, told CTV News every launch reveals more about our planet and improves how the world's space agencies operate in earth's upper atmosphere.

And this year makes it a decade that northern Ontario has been hosting these experiments.

"Scientists are eager to get data from everywhere in the world. They want to fly often, they don't just want to fly once. They want to compare data, see the evolution," Vincent said.

Around 90 scientists from around the world are in the city working on four balloon launches for this year's 'strata' campaign -- each carrying different payloads and collecting a variety of data.

France's balloons carry about one tonne of technology, including an Italian telescope built to look at the sun and different types of solar sensors that could be installed on a satellite.

A Canadian team is working on a smaller balloon, testing equipment that monitors greenhouse gas levels in the atmosphere and emissions coming from the ground level.

Adam Bourassa is a physics professor at the University of Saskatchewan who is involved in the project.

"The balloon can actually take the instrumentation really high in the atmosphere. Much, much higher than an airplane, way above the ozone layer. So, even on a beautiful, blue-sky day like this, the balloon goes so high, it's up in the blackness of space," Bourassa said.

"It does give you an environment that's very much like what it would be like to be on a satellite."

Adding, the instruments can eventually be used to monitor the change in certain greenhouse gas levels over time, potentially helping scientists monitor how those changes affect the planet.

"CO2 and methane are both gases that are important in the causes of climate change and the pollution layers that we look at above the clouds also have impacts on how clouds form and how clouds last and are also important factors in understanding our climate," Bourassa said.

The balloons can house technology from several teams of scientists running various experiments and the CSA is looking forward to welcoming more scientists over the coming decade as it expands the base with a multi-million-dollar facility.

"Maybe welcome other partners and new companies that would like to come test here, their experiments and technologies," Vincent said.

Locals can see balloons floating through the sky at any time of day, depending on the conditions scientists need for their experiments.

Scientists can also guide each balloon's landing, which can sometimes be within the province or even elsewhere in the country. 

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