PALESTINE —
The Palestine Economic Development Corp. hosted a luncheon for community leaders at the Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility on Monday to give them a chance to view three different scientific experiments being built and conducted at the site in Palestine.
The facility launches unmanned research balloons for carrying highly-sensitive scientific instruments into the upper reaches of the Earth’s atmosphere.
The CSBF has been at this location since 1963, and has launched 2,300 balloons for 124 universities and institutions. Balloons are launched from May through September, with most launches taking place from June to August in order to take advantage of the prevailing winds which carry the balloons away from heavily populated areas.
The CSBF provides multiple economic benefits for the community of Palestine. It holds a 10-year $238 million contract and currently employ 80 professionals made up of electronic, mechanical, aeronautical, software, quality engineers, meteorologists, pilots, machinists and administrative staff.
This year, the CSBF was awarded $12.5 million in new contract funds to help the Jet Propulsion Laboratory develop decelerators to land larger payloads on the surface of Mars. Also, the facility hosts college intern programs and a summer high-school student program. More than 3,000 visitors tour the facility every year, including 50 visiting scientists.
Currently, CSBF is hosting research scientists from universities across the nation conducting experiments including project BLAST, project EBEX and project Super TIGER.
BLAST, or the “Balloon-borne Large-Aperture Sub-millimeter Telescope,” will fly from a Long Duration Balloon platform and incorporate a 2-meter mirror. By providing the first sensitive large-area surveys at different wavelengths, BLAST will address some of the most important cosmological and galactic questions regarding the formation and evolution of stars, galaxies and clusters. Through its three science flights, BLAST has succeeded and met its goals. To learn more about BLAST visit: http://blastexperiment.info/index.php.
Project EBEX is designed to measure the intensity and polarization of the cosmic microwave background radiation. Measurements of the polarization could probe a period of time that took place shortly after the big bang which could provide new insights and undiscovered data. To learn more about EBEX visit: http://groups.physics.umn.edu/cosmology/ebex/index.html.
Project Super TIGER, (Trans-Iron Galactic Element Recorder) is a large-area instrument being developed for flight in December of 2012 on a high-altitude balloon over Antarctica to measure the elemental abundances of cosmic rays. It will test and clarify the emerging model of cosmic-ray origin. To learn more about Super TIGER and other projects visit: http://cosray.wustl.edu/.
Call 903-729-0271 to schedule a tour at the CSBF, located at 1510 E. FM 3224, are available.
For more information, visit http://www.csbf.nasa.gov.
Local News
PEDC hosts tours of Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility
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Healthy cooking program offered
The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service in Palestine is offering a four-week program starting this Thursday to help diabetics make healthy cooking choices.
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Steps of Faith Dance Center production Saturday
Steps of Faith Dance Center will hold its annual production at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Palestine Civic Center.
“We’re going to take you to a land far away and tell you the ‘real’ story of some of your favorite fairy tale characters,” Steps of Faith Dance Center owner Jennifer Ballew said. “The production is full of lively fun music, a reminiscing ol’ Granny, and of course the incredible dancing of several talented students.” -
Chamber sets photo contest
The Palestine Area Chamber of Commerce is seeking shutterbugs to participate in its second annual photo contest — portraying structures, landmarks and memorable locations in the Palestine/Anderson County area.
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Memorial Day celebration set Saturday
The Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3907 will hold a Memorial Day celebration on Saturday featuring barbecue, live music, an auction and more.
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Longview man injured in motorcycle wreck
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Traffic stop leads to arrest
A Palestine man remained in jail Monday on drug-related charges following a suspicious vehicle stop in Anderson County on Saturday.
According to Sheriff Greg Taylor, while on patrol in the early morning hours on Saturday, deputy Johnny Gorden saw a suspicious vehicle sitting on the side of U.S. 287 between Palestine and Elkhart. -
Residents urged to welcome back local troops on Wednesday
Palestine area residents are asked to help welcome back the local National Guard troops, which will be coming by bus to the National Guard Armory in Palestine at about 3 p.m. Wednesday.
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Community invited to welcome back National Guard troops
The community is asked to help welcome back the local National Guard troops, which will be coming by bus to the National Guard Armory in Palestine at about 3 p.m. Wednesday.
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Texas Area Fund Foundation kicks off new program
The Texas Area Fund Foundation kicked off its newest program — The Action Fund — Thursday evening at an event hosted in the home of Francis and Cad Williams.
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Police department seeking input from citizens on text alert program
The Palestine Police Department is asking for input from citizens regarding the feasibility of introducing a new communication program call Citizen Observer Tip411, an e-mail and text alert system that would allow for outgoing alerts and information to citizens.
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