The Superpressure Balloon-borne Imaging Telescope (SuperBIT) is raised above 99% of the Earth’s atmosphere by a helium balloon the size of a football stadium. From an altitude of 40km (passenger airlines fly at ~10km), during its first flight in September 2015, SuperBIT took optical and UV images with 0.1″ pointing stability.

This engineering investment is made timely by new materials technology that has recently extended the duration of scientific balloon flights from 3 days to 3 months - enabling a step change in ambition. SuperBIT’s first flight on a long-duration balloon is scheduled for 2018.