Infrared [C II] Line Mapping of Massive Star-Forming Regions through the India-Japan Collaborative Balloon Experiment

The India-Japan collaborative balloon experiment aims to advance the understanding of the formation mechanisms of massive stars through wide-area observations of the far-infrared [C II] line at 158 µm. The experiment, involving researchers from Tokushima University, Nagoya University, JAXA and NAO in Japan, alongside partners from TIFR in India, employs a 1m balloon-borne telescope launched from Hyderabad. Since 1999, this initiative has successfully conducted multiple flights to capture the structures of gas clouds in massive star-forming regions, highlighting the essential roles of mechanical forces and structural formations in these areas. Recent upgrades, including a 5x5 array detector and a new Fabry-Perot spectrometer, will aim to achieve higher spatial and wavelength resolutions, improving the quality and detail of the [C II] spectral mapping. Related with this far-infrared balloon observation activity, we are also conducting a balloon project called FITE (Far-infrared Interferometric Telescope Experiment) for future infrared interferometry in space. Lastly in this talk, we briefly introduce our recent result of testing the attitude control system of FITE with sub-arcsecond accuracy.