Hemera: A European stratospheric balloon research infrastructure

Stratospheric balloons are useful platforms for various research and technology needs. They allow to collect valuable data in many science fields, e.g. atmospheric science, astrophysics, biology etc, and they can be used for demonstrations in preparation of new space and Earth observation missions. The HEMERA Research Infrastructure program started in 2018 within the European Horizon 2020 program. Its objectives are to: provide better and coordinated balloon access to the troposphere and stratosphere for scientific and technological research; attract new users to enlarge the community accessing the balloon infrastructure and foster scientific and technical collaboration; enlarge the fields of science and technology research conducted with balloons; improve the balloon service offered to scientific and technical users through innovative developments; favor standardization, synergy, complementarities and industrialization through joint developments with greater cost-effectiveness. This work gives an overview of the project, its current status and the available opportunities for cost free tropospheric and stratospheric balloon flights that HEMERA offers. Copyright ©2012 by the International Astronautical Federation. All rights reserved.