National Aeronautics and Space Administration

ULTRA LONG DURATION BALLOONING TECHNOLOGY WORKSHOP

Tuesday June 24 and Wednesday June 25, 1997
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center
Greenbelt, MD

GENERAL INFORMATION

Recent advances in composite superpressure balloon materials have greatly enhanced the prospects for very long duration balloon flights on Earth as well as possible use for planetary exploration. The strawman vehicle would support a ~1 ton scientific payload on a 16-28 mcf (million cubic feet) superpressure balloon for 100 days (~5 circumnavigations of the globe). This configuration could maintain stable altitude from day to night without ballast. NASA is currently defining requirements and identifying technologies and technical resources that are requisite for the development of this new capability.

We are planning a two day workshop at Goddard Space Flight Center on Tuesday and Wednesday, June 24 - 25, 1997. The first day will include an overview of the Ultra Long Duration Balloon (ULDB) concept, science requirements, and identification of critical technologies required to develop the concept. Focus of the first day of the workshop will be on those technologies associated with the Balloon System (which include the balloon vehicle and recovery system). Balloon System technologies include, but are not limited to materials, fabrication, structure, performance and autonomous guided recovery systems. The second day of the workshop will focus on the Ballooncraft System which include technologies related to, but are not limited to power, telecommunications, data handling, structural, thermal, attitude control, and software. We are also interested in technologies to facilitate extended instrument operation, such as low cost cryogenic coolers.

Please take this opportunity to register by email. We need to estimate attendance ASAP. Although we want the broadest possible representation of potential technologies, there are physical limits on attendance. Check out the logistics page for the details.

If you are unable to attend, you are encouraged to submit by e-mail all suggestions for potential technologies related to the above two systems. The submissions should be clearly labeled with the Balloon System or Ballooncraft System affiliation. These submissions will only be used by the ULDB Integrated Management Team (IMT) for development of conceptual designs and identification of possible sources. These are not proposals for funding and will not be reviewed as such. All submissions must be received by Thursday, June 19, 1997.

For questions on meeting content please contact Steve Smith, ULDB Project Manager, at Ira.S.Smith.1@gsfc.nasa.gov. For registration and general information contact Mary Hurlbut of Jorge Scientific at mfloyd@pop200.gsfc.nasa.gov

WORKSHOP OPENS AT 8:00 AM IN BUILDING 3 AUDITORIUM.

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