Advantages of The ULDB
Increase efficiency with more science per dollar
Cost comparison
- MIDEX rocket launch mission: $140 Million cap
- ~$50M rocket + ~$40M spacecraft + ~$5M ops + ~$45M science
- MIDEX ULDB
- ~$2M (balloon+gondola+operations) + ~$138 M science
- OR ~ 3 $45M science missions for the cost of one rocket mission
Enable new science
- Advance technology
- Risk factor is lower with the possibility of recovery
- Can use cutting edge technology
- Can provide proof of concept for new technology