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NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Supersonic Free-Flight Dynamics Testing in the Stratosphere

A new technique for obtaining stratospheric free-flight dynamics data for atmospheric entry capsules is described. The Stratospheric Projectile Experiment of Entry Dynamics (SPEED) represents a new approach to characterizing the free-flight dynamics of vehicles in the supersonic and transonic regime of flight. The SPEED test architecture leverages a stratospheric balloon and 3D-printed flight system in a novel two-stage configuration to deliver test articles to supersonic conditions in the atmosphere which achieve dynamic similitude with a full-scale vehicle. Designed to address the limitations of existing test facilities, SPEED captures the complete time evolution of a vehicle’s dynamic state while producing a statistically significant number of observed flight trajectories to address the stochastic nature of the wake-driven dynamic stability phenomenon. SPEED was developed over two years at NASA Ames Research Center. The inaugural flight of the SPEED test platform was conducted in the summer of 2024 where scaled capsules of the Mars Sample Return Earth Entry System and Dragonfly entry vehicle were tested. This paper describes the motivation for a new test architecture, operational constraints and achievable flight test envelopes, the design and development of the SPEED concept, and results from the demonstration flight. Techniques for estimating the dynamic aerodynamic characteristics and atmospheric conditions for each test article individually and as a collective are also discussed.

Entry Vehicle↗
NASA NTRS1985

A comparison of calculated and measured background noise rates in hard X-ray telescopes at balloon altitude

An actively shielded hard X-ray astronomical telescope has been flown on stratospheric balloons. An attempt is made to compare the measured spectral distribution of the background noise counting rates over the energy loss range 20-300 keV with the contributions estimated from a series of Monte Carlo and other computations. The relative contributions of individual particle interactions are assessed.

Dean, A. J.↗
NASA NTRS2016

Assessment of the Influence of the RaD-X Balloon Payload on the Onboard Radiation Detectors

The NASA Radiation Dosimetry Experiment (RaD-X) stratospheric balloon flight mission, launched on 25 September 2015, provided dosimetric measurements above the Pfotzer maximum. The goal of taking these measurements is to improve aviation radiation models by providing a characterization of cosmic ray primaries, which are the source of radiation exposure at aviation altitudes. The RaD-X science payload consists of four instruments. The main science instrument is a tissue-equivalent proportional counter (TEPC). The other instruments consisted of three solid state silicon dosimeters: Liulin, Teledyne total ionizing dose (TID) and RaySure detectors. The instruments were housed in an aluminum structure protected by a foam cover. The structure partially shielded the detectors from cosmic rays but also created secondary particles, modifying the ambient radiation environment observed by the instruments. Therefore, it is necessary to account for the influence of the payload structure on the measured doses. In this paper, we present the results of modeling the effect of the balloon payload on the radiation detector measurements using a Geant-4 (GEometry ANd Tracking) application. Payload structure correction factors derived for the TEPC, Liulin, and TID instruments are provided as a function of altitude. Overall, the payload corrections are no more than a 7% effect on the radiation environment measurements.

Gronoff, Guilluame↗
NASA NTRS1984

Measurement results from a balloon experiment simulating land mobile satellite transmissions

A transmitter operating at 869.525 MHz was twice carried by a stratospheric balloon to an altitude of about 40 km. A motor vehicle was driven within the line-of-sight from the transmitter. Measurements of the received signal strength were made every 1/8 wavelength for an overall travelling distance of about seven hundred kilometers. This scenario was to simulate a satellite system providing mobile communications to rural areas. The statistics of the sampled field, consisting of a combination of direct wave, specular reflection and diffuse components, are presented as a function of elevation angle. Parameters such as type of road driven (mostly 2 lane) or type of landscape (rolling to flat) and vegetation (pine and mixed forest) encountered are described where possible. The power distribution function for all the data, at elevation angles from 10 to 35 degrees, is 1 dB below the free space mean at the 50% level, 7 dB below at the 90% level, and 18 dB below at the 99% level. In the elevation angle range of 30 to 35 degrees the corresponding values were found to be .5, 1.2, and 4.5 dB. The conditional fade duration and level crossing rate distribution functions are also presented. The former shows some dependence on the threshold level, the latter almost none.

Vogel, W. J.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Balloon measurements of aerosol in the Antarctic stratosphere

Three balloon soundings of aerosol were conducted from Syowa Station, Antarctica in April, June and October 1983. Number concentration and the size distribution of aerosol particles with diameter greater than 0.3 microns were measured by using a light scattering aerosol particle counter. The influence of the eruption of Mt. El Chichon on the aerosol concentration in the stratosphere was observed on October 16. Very high aerosol concentration at stratospheric heights was obtained from the first successful aerosol sounding in winter Antarctic stratosphere. The result gives direct evidence of winter enhancement in the Antarctic stratosphere.

Morita, Y.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Stress analysis of an ascending balloon

The effects of various realistic phenomena on the changing stress patterns that occur during the ascent of a typical stratospheric balloon are investigated. The meridional load distribution is shown to be relatively constant during ascent until the material at the base of the balloon begins to deploy, at which time the loads begin to increase. As the balloon assumes its float configuration, the loads are found to increase by as much as 50 percent over the ascent values. The effects of payload changes and thermal strain are also considered.

Rand, James L.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Aerosol sensing from balloons using photopolarimetry

A photopolarimeter designed to measure the radiance and the polarization ratio at lambda equals 0.85 microns and lambda equals 1.65 microns is set up on a gondola of a stratospheric balloon. By rotating the gondola, measurements of the diffuse solar light are obtained for a wide range of the scattering angles. An inversion scheme, based on the assumption of a log-normal size distribution, provides the relevant size parameters, the refractive index, and the slant optical thicknesses of the aerosols. Since 1983, this experiment was launched twice a year from Aire Sur Adour (S-E of France). The post-El Chichon atmospheric stratospheric aerosol proved to be quite stable in size and nature (hydratid sulfuric acid), but the abundance decreased by a factor of 10 between 1983 and 1987. The experiment was also launched to observe the stratosphere during the Arctic winter. Two flights, on January 28, 1988 and January 18, 1990, corresponded to an unperturbed atmosphere. But during a third flight, on April, 2, 1990, the temperatures were low enough for PCS formulations. A multilayer situation was observed with the standard H2SOH aerosols below 20 km; a dense layer was observed, peaked at around 23 km, with scattering coefficients about 50 times layer than in background conditions; and an upper layer was observed, rather sharp (approximately equal to 1 km), with micron sized particles.

Santer, R.↗
NASA NTRS2005

Attitude Issues on the Huygens Probe: Balloon Dropped Mock up Role in Determining Reconstruction Strategies During Descent in Lower Atmosphere

As part of the collaboration with Italian Space Agency on HASI instrument for Huygens mission, University of Padova has been conducting since 2001 scientific activity on Stratospheric Balloon Launches from the Trapani base in Sicily. The most recent boomerang flight in July 2003 has successfully flown a mock up of the Huygens probe hosting spares of flight scientific units and extra housekeeping and scientific sensors on a parachuted descent from 33 kilometre altitude. This work presents the studies conducted on attitude reconstruction of the probe, as well as the utilisation of iterative extended Kalman filtering in investigating vanes induced spin rate and in providing a baseline for the performance evaluation of Huygens accelerometers operations. Finally some possible contributions on the reconstruction of the lower part of Titan descent for Huygens probe are suggested based on the confrontation of sensor data for 2003 flight.

Bettanini, C.↗
NASA NTRS2017

Non-Linear Analysis of the NASA Super Pressure Balloons: Whole Flight Simulations

Tensys have a long-established background in the shape generation and load analysis of architectural stressed membrane structures. Founded upon their inTENS finite element analysis suite, these activities have broadened to encompass 'lighter than air' structures such as aerostats, airships, hybrid air vehicles and stratospheric balloons. Tensys have acted as consultants to the NASA Super Pressure Balloon (SPB) Program since 2004. Previous papers have focussed upon the application of inTENS to the overall structural and stability analysis of pumpkin type balloons as used in the SPB Program. Particular emphasis has been placed upon the ability to study both stress and stability at all stages of a flight. As the program has developed, increasing modelling fidelity has been introduced as design refinement has moved emphasis from the overall shape to the performance of individual details. Examples include the introduction of a contact capability into inTENS to better represent the separate cap layer of film. Localised investigations have considered the consequence of local geometric anomalies introduced during fabrication and the effects of debonding of the PBO tendon within its sleeve. Analysis to date has used a material model for the polyethylene shell film developed by Dr Rand of Winzen Engineering, supported by a program of fine resolution material tests at the Balloon Research and Development Laboratory (BRDL) at the GSFC Wallops Island Facility. Based upon work first reported by Schapery, this model has been incorporated into so-called 'snapshot' analyses within inTENS. For a given elapsed time point and temperature distribution, non-linear material properties are iteratively updated for the current stress state in each individual element until changes in those material properties are insignificant. This process has to be iterative as the film stresses and material properties are interdependent. Attempts to derive a time-stepping incremental viscoelastic capability using the Schapery Rand model encountered problems when dealing with the varying temperatures associated with balloon deployment, pressurisation and diurnal behaviour. An alternative approach has been developed by Pellegrino et al at Caltech, again with support from the NASA Balloon Program Office. This is a large strain non-linear viscoelastic model that includes film out-of-plane mechanical and thermal effects. Working from a unified base, this model can be utilised for time-stepping analyses in both a modulus or compliance mode, or a combination of both. This new capability is intended to enhance the current NASA balloon design process. This paper presents the implementation of the Caltech model into a specialist finite element suite, inTENS and its application to whole flight simulations.

Wakefield, David↗
NASA NTRS1975

A balloon-borne ionization spectrometer with very large aperture for the detection of high energy cosmic rays

A balloon experiment which was used to determine the chemical composition of very high-energy cosmic rays up to and beyond 100 GeV/nucleon is described. The detector had a geometric factor of 1 sq m sr and a total weight on the balloon of 2100 kg. The apparatus consisted of an ionization spectrometer, spark chambers, and plastic scintillation and Cherenkov counters. It was calibrated at CERN up to 24 GeV/c protons and at DESY up to 7 GeV/c electrons. In October 1972 it was flown successfully on a stratospheric balloon.

Atallah, K.↗
NASA NTRS1988

In-situ detection of OH in the lower stratosphere with a balloon borne high repetition rate laser system

Midday stratospheric OH density measurements have been carried out within the altitude interval of 31 to 24 km using the laser-induced fluorescence technique deployed on a balloon-borne gondola launched from Palestine, Texas on July 15, 1987. Laser output at 282 nm is produced with a pulsed, 17 kHz repetition rate, copper vapor laser pumped tunable dye laser. The OH mixing ratio ranged from 16 + or - 5 ppt at 31 km to 4 + or - 3 ppt in the 27 to 24 km region. Simultaneous ozone and water vapor measurements were also obtained with separate instruments.

Stimpfle, R. M.↗
NASA NTRS1999

[A Study of Data From the Photochemistry of Ozone Loss in the Arctic Region In Summer (POLARIS) Mission]

The Photochemistry of Ozone Loss in the Arctic Region In Summer (POLARIS) mission was designed to investigate the natural summer decrease of stratospheric ozone levels. Both polar regions have large and distinct annual cycles of ozone column amounts. In northern spring, the average level is over 450 Dobson units (DU), decreasing to less than 275 DU by September. In order to cover this period of ozone decrease, POLARIS was conducted in three deployment phases from Fairbanks, Alaska, (650N) during the summer of 1997. The principal measurement platforms were the NASA ER-2 high-altitude aircraft and stratospheric balloons. Additional measurements were provided by ground-based instruments, sondes, and satellites. POLARIS observations included ozone, meteorological variables, particles, long-lived chemicals, and short-lived radicals. During the field deployments, several modeling and theoretical groups participated in flight planning and data evaluation activities. The interpretive studies in this Special Section of the Journal of Geophysical Research are a first comprehensive examination of the POLARIS data set, addressing stratospheric ozone abundances and its changes; the role of aerosols; details of the photochemistry of reactive species; transport of stratospheric air and the correlations of long-lived species; and measurement intercomparisons.

Newman, Paul A.↗
NASA NTRS2013

The Debris Disk Explorer: A Balloon-Borne Coronagraph for Observing Debris Disks

The Debris Disk Explorer (DDX) is a proposed balloon-borne investigation of debris disks around nearby stars. Debris disks are analogs of the Asteroid Belt (mainly rocky) and Kuiper Belt (mainly icy) in our Solar System. DDX will measure the size, shape, brightness, and color of tens of disks. These measurements will enable us to place the Solar System in context. By imaging debris disks around nearby stars, DDX will reveal the presence of perturbing planets via their influence on disk structure, and explore the physics and history of debris disks by characterizing the size and composition of disk dust. The DDX instrument is a 0.75-m diameter off-axis telescope and a coronagraph carried by a stratospheric balloon. DDX will take high-resolution, multi-wavelength images of the debris disks around tens of nearby stars. Two flights are planned; an overnight test flight within the United States followed by a month-long science flight launched from New Zealand. The long flight will fully explore the set of known debris disks accessible only to DDX. It will achieve a raw contrast of 10(exp -7), with a processed contrast of 10(exp -8). A technology benefit of DDX is that operation in the near-space environment will raise the Technology Readiness Level of internal coronagraphs, deformable mirrors, and wavefront sensing and control, all potentially needed for a future space-based telescope for high-contrast exoplanet imaging.

High Altitude Balloon↗
NASA NTRS1999

A High-Pressure Gas-Scintillation-Proportional Counter for the Focus of a Hard-X-Ray Telescope

We are developing a high-pressure Gas Scintillation Proportional Counter (GSPC) for the focus of a balloon-borne hard-x-ray telescope. The device has a total active diameter of 50 mm, of which the central 20 mm only is used, and is filled with xenon + 4% helium at a total pressure of 10 6 Pa giving a quantum efficiency of greater than 85% up to 60 keV. The detector entrance is sealed with a beryllium window, 3-mm thick, which provides useful transmission down to 6 keV, way below the atmospheric cut-off at balloon float altitudes. Scintillation light exits the detector via a UV transmitting window in its base and is registered by a Hamamatsu position-sensitive crossed-grid-readout photomultiplier tube. Initial testing is underway, quantifying light yield and energy resolution. Following that, the spatial resolution and absolute efficiency will be calibrated. Simulations show that a spatial resolution of better than 0.5 mm FWHM should be achievable up to 60 keV, and this is well matched to the angular resolution and plate scale of the mirror system. The energy resolution will be around 5% at 22 keV. Full details of the instrument design and its performance will be presented. A first flight is scheduled for the Fall of 99, on a stratospheric balloon to be launched from Fort Sumner, New Mexico.

Austin, R. A.↗
NASA NTRS2011

Zodiac II: Debris Disk Science from a Balloon

Zodiac II is a proposed balloon-borne science investigation of debris disks around nearby stars. Debris disks are analogs of the Asteroid Belt (mainly rocky) and Kuiper Belt (mainly icy) in our Solar System. Zodiac II will measure the size, shape, brightness, and color of a statistically significant sample of disks. These measurements will enable us to probe these fundamental questions: what do debris disks tell us about the evolution of planetary systems; how are debris disks produced; how are debris disks shaped by planets; what materials are debris disks made of; how much dust do debris disks make sa they grind down; and how long do debris disks live? In addition, Zodiac II will observe hot, young exoplanets as targets of opportunity. The Zodiac II instrument is a 1.1-m diameter SiC telescope and an imaging coronagraph on a gondola carried by a stratospheric balloon. Its data product is a set of images of each targeted debris disk in four broad visible wavelength bands. Zodiac II will address its science questions by taking high-resolution, multi-wavelength images of the debris disks around tens of nearby stars. Mid-latitude flights are considered: overnight test flights within the United States followed by half-global flights in the Southern Hemisphere. These longer flights are required to fully explore the set of known debris disks accessible only to Zodiac II. On these targets, it will be 100 times more sensitive than the Hubble Space Telescope's Advanced Camera for Surveys (HST/ACS); no existing telescope can match the Zodiac II contrast and resolution performance. A second objective of Zodiac II is to use the near-space environment to raise the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of SiC mirrors, internal coronagraphs, deformable mirrors, and wavefront sensing and control, all potentially needed for a future space-based telescope for high-contrast exoplanet imaging.

Bryden, Geoffrey↗
NASA NTRS2011

Zodiac II: Debris Disk Science from a Balloon

Zodiac II is a proposed balloon-borne science investigation of debris disks around nearby stars. Debris disks are analogs of the Asteroid Belt (mainly rocky) and Kuiper Belt (mainly icy) in our Solar System. Zodiac II will measure the size, shape, brightness, and color of a statistically significant sample of disks. These measurements will enable us to probe these fundamental questions: what do debris disks tell us about the evolution of planetary systems; how are debris disks produced; how are debris disks shaped by planets; what materials are debris disks made of; how much dust do debris disks make as they grind down; and how long do debris disks live? In addition, Zodiac II will observe hot, young exoplanets as targets of opportunity. The Zodiac II instrument is a 1.1-m diameter SiC (Silicone carbide) telescope and an imaging coronagraph on a gondola carried by a stratospheric balloon. Its data product is a set of images of each targeted debris disk in four broad visible-wavelength bands. Zodiac II will address its science questions by taking high-resolution, multi-wavelength images of the debris disks around tens of nearby stars. Mid-latitude flights are considered: overnight test flights in the US followed by half-global flights in the Southern Hemisphere. These longer flights are required to fully explore the set of known debris disks accessible only to Zodiac II. On these targets, it will be 100 times more sensitive than the Hubble Space Telescope's Advanced Camera for Surveys (HST/ACS); no existing telescope can match the Zodiac II contrast and resolution performance. A second objective of Zodiac II is to use the near-space environment to raise the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of SiC mirrors, internal coronagraphs, deformable mirrors, and wavefront sensing and control, all potentially needed for a future space-based telescope for high-contrast exoplanet imaging.

suborbital↗