POLARPATROLBALLOONEXPERIMENT IN ANTARCTICA

Research, the Institute of Space andAstronautical Science and collaborative scientists have searched for feasibility of thelong-term circisnpolar balloon experiment called Polar Patrol Balloon (PPB) project. Thisproject aims at establishing a station network in the stratosphere over the Antarctic regionfor gecphysical and astrophysical observations. Three test flights in 1987 and 1990 atSyowa Station have convinced us that PPB would cone hack to the launching site with a goodpossibility. During 1991-1993 the PPB experiments will consequently be made for scientificresearches at Syowa Station. This paper reports unique advantages of this PPB experin~ntand briefly reviews the past PPB experiments.