The balloon-borne Gamma-Ray Imager/Polarimeter for Solar flares (GRIPS) instrument will provide a near-optimal combination of high-resolution imaging, spectroscopy, and polarimetry of solar-flare gamma-ray/hard X-ray emissions from ~20 keV to >~10 MeV. GRIPS launched on January 19, 2016, for a long-duration flight over Antarctica at an altitude of up to 130,000 feet. Learn more about the science, the team, and the instrument. Also, you can follow the project on Twitter!
Most recent updates (see more)

I'm famous! twitter.com/Calidarien/status/953726262236901377

Just published on Atmos. Meas. Tech. data on #TILDAE sensor flown "piggyback" on @GRIPSballoon over Antarctica… twitter.com/i/web/status/867011072347312129

.@NASA video about .@GRIPSballoon recovery in #Antarctica. I am the pink hat and .@hazbain is in orange. www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2017/nasa-funded-balloon-recovered-a-year-after-flight-over-antarctica

NASA article with film footage of the @GRIPSballoon recovery from Antarctica this winter by @NDuncanSolar & myself! www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2017/nasa-funded-balloon-recovered-a-year-after-flight-over-antarctica

After several days at LDB in McMurdo, the recovered @GRIPSballoon hardware was ready to be shipped back to the US o… twitter.com/i/web/status/821772244754034688

Waiting to board an LC-130 back to McMurdo with the recovered @GRIPSballoon cargo.


Leveling out the skiway for takeoff at the AGO2 fuel stop on the @GRIPSballoon final recovery flight.


Twin Otter at @GRIPSballoon on final recovery flight. You can through the window that the plane is full of GRIPS ha… twitter.com/i/web/status/821770325893541888

10 days ago we got a 3rd recovery flight out to @GRIPSballoon. The weather was perfect allowing us to recover all o… twitter.com/i/web/status/821769497229008896

Refueling at AGO2 on the way back to South Pole. @GRIPSballoon


Parts of the @GRIPSballoon that we dug out earlier in the week were snowed back under when we returned for the 2nd… twitter.com/i/web/status/817997074625134592

August and James stoked after 90 minutes of hasty digging and cutting. @GRIPSballoon


.@GRIPSballoon recovery flight #2: 90 min scramble on the ground but we got all the important science items. Includ… twitter.com/i/web/status/817995251071774720

The @GRIPSballoon solar panels suffered the worst but the priority science items look great! Hoping for more flight… twitter.com/i/web/status/816535816046575616

The @GRIPSballoon cryostat is in good shape having survived a full winter on the ice. We spent yesterday & today pr… twitter.com/i/web/status/816534534535651328

On Monday we finally got a good weather window and flew out to the @GRIPSballoon landing site to recover the cryost… twitter.com/i/web/status/816531715325919232

Meanwhile, we visited NOAA's ARO facility here at Pole and collected our own samples of the clearest air on Earth.… twitter.com/i/web/status/811115947666894848

The ole @GRIPSballoon luck, with regards to the weather, is back. Still waiting at Pole for good weather to fly out to the GRIPS site.

Congrats to the BACCUS, ANITA IV and STO-2 balloon teams who have all launched this season from LDB McMurdo.


The Twin Otter plane arrived at South Pole a few of days ago. We are waiting on good weather for our reconnoissance flight to @GRIPSballoon

Meanwhile here are some of photos of @NDuncanSolar and I at our Deep Field Shakedown training on the Ross Ice shelf… twitter.com/i/web/status/806439853093191680

It's been great to get to know our extended groom and mountaineering team while we wait out the weather delays @GRIPSballoon

The @GRIPSballoon team is currently waiting for a Twin Otter plane to arrive at South Pole before we can get out on a reconnoissance flight.

Last year, NASA set a record for latest Antarctic balloon launch (@GRIPSballoon); this year, the earliest. The clim… twitter.com/i/web/status/803544205188599808

@NDuncanSolar and I are on the ice. We're going through field safety training before heading out to recover .@GRIPSballoon

#GRIPSrecovery team is on Antarctica. Stay tuned to @GRIPSballoon for news on their advances. twitter.com/hazbain/status/803888037625217024

The .@GRIPSballoon is at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station safe and sound!

We've spent that last few days preparing for the .@GRIPSballoon recovery in McMurdo, sending cargo to Pole for stage 2.

The .@GRIPSballoon team survived happy camper training out on the Ross Ice Shelf. It was actually too hot in our tents.

Getting ready for Deep Field Shakedown training. A mini field camp training out on the Ross ice shelf before we really go into the field.

This Thursday @NDuncanSolar and I will begin the journey south to recover the @GRIPSballoon gondola. We'll try to tweet our progress.

The Antarctic Sun: #GRIPS Moment Under the Sun. A great article in 4 parts about this year's @GRIPSballoon flight… twitter.com/i/web/status/783734347237060608

Relativistic electron precipitation event from .@GRIPSballoon Antarctic flight


Early results from the @GRIPSballoon team presented at #2016SPD


.@GRIPSballoon succesful first flight talk from PI Pascal SaintHilaire at #2016SPD on Boulder #milehigher


.@GRIPSballoon in the news! "carried by a balloon at a whopping elevation of 130,000ft " aasnova.org/2016/06/01/2016-spd-day-1/ #2016spd

Great interest in @GRIPSballoon mission. Payload is still on the ice but will be recovered this year. The risks of #Antarctic weather

The @GRIPSballoon #Antarctic results presented by @Calidarien at #2016SPD press conference


@stratoballoon The COSI team includes @GRIPSBalloon's @BrentMochizuki who is fresh off the ice!

The COSI Balloon team (including @GRIPSballoon's @BrentMochizuki ) are in Wanaka, NZ preparing for their next flight cosi2014.wordpress.com/2016/02/16/cosi-2016/

@GRIPSballoon great talk by Nicole Duncan at Dallas Zonta Club just now.


.@GRIPSballoon--flying now!--studies high-energy radiation from solar flares. More: go.nasa.gov/1SuAU9c #MotW


Earth horizon visible from the @GRIPSBalloon on-board camera: www.csbf.nasa.gov/antarctica/ice.htm
