BARREL 1M Data Processing Unit (HKPG) Analog Housekeeping Voltage, Temperature, Current, a

Housekeeping data from the BARREL (Balloon Array for Radiation Belt Relativistic Electron Losses) mission, providing voltage, temperature, current, and payload status values recorded every 40 seconds. The NASA mission launched over 50 stratospheric balloons from Antarctica and Sweden across campaigns in 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016 to study electron precipitation from Earth's radiation belts. This data was collected to augment the Van Allen Probes mission and characterize the spatial scale of relativistic electron precipitation.

Use Cases

• Analyzing temporal variations in balloon instrument health based on voltage and current readings.
• Correlating payload status and environmental sensor data with relativistic electron precipitation events.
• Studying the spatial scale of radiation belt phenomena using data from a constellation of balloons.
• Validating and augmenting satellite-based radiation belt measurements from the Van Allen Probes mission.

Strengths

• Data collected from over 50 balloon flights across four separate campaigns (2013-2016).
• Provides coordinated measurements designed to complement the Van Allen Probes satellite mission.
• Time-series data recorded at a consistent 40-second interval.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• The description notes analog sensor data is based on a nominal layout, and some payloads may have unreflected differences.
• Row count and file size are unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Collection Method

Collected by instruments on small stratospheric balloons launched from Antarctica and Sweden.

Time Range

Campaigns conducted in January-February 2013 and 2014, and August 2015 and 2016.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 14:08:21.605039; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Balloon launches from Halley Bay and SANAE IV base in Antarctica, and Esrange Space Center in Kiruna, Sweden.