NASA's Payload for Ultrahigh Energy Observations (PUEO) mission launched from Antarctica on Saturday, December 20, at 5:56 a.m. NZST. This corresponds to Friday, December 19, at 11:56 a.m. U.S. Eastern Time.
Mission Objective
The PUEO mission utilizes a scientific balloon to detect radio signals. These signals are produced when high-energy neutrinos from space collide with ice.
Data collected by the PUEO payload aims to enhance understanding of significant cosmic events, including the creation of black holes and the merging of neutron stars.
Calibration Efforts
Accompanying the PUEO mission are two additional balloons. These balloons carry calibration equipment designed to transmit test signals, ensuring the PUEO payload's detection instruments are functioning correctly for real signal acquisition from space.