(Astrophysics Stratospheric Telescope for High Spectral Resolution Observations at Submillimeter-wavelengths)
(balloon-borne 2.5-m submillimeter telescope)
ASTHROS (for Astrophysics Stratospheric Telescope for High Spectral Resolution Observations at Submillimeter-wavelengths)
is a balloon-borne 2.5-meter submillimeterreflector telescope in development for a flight
from near McMurdo Station in Antarctica.
It has a cryogenically-cooled dual-channel camera with
12 arcminuteangular resolution at 122 μm
and 20 arcminute resolution at 205 μm.
Plans are to image star-forming regions in the Milky Way
and nearby galaxies, e.g., M83.
The aim is to spend three to four weeks at an altitude
of 40 kilometers (130,000 feet).
The JPL ASTHROS website did say the launch was scheduled for December
2024, but as of January 2025, I have found nothing online regarding
whether it was launched, canceled, or further delayed; an earlier
schedule had planned for December 2023. (December is summer in
Antarctica and an advantageous month for McMurdo Station's balloon
launches.)