# Presentation: 483856

## Ultra-Long Duration Ballooning(ULDB)

- Progress report on the study by
- Code 600/730
- Robin Mauk
- Otto Bruegman

## Objectives  of ULDB Technology Study

- Enable more ambitious science
- Science would be funded by inclusion of ULDB in Explorer AOs.  Long Duration Balloon (LDB) is an available option for UNEX proposals.
- Demonstrate that ULDB can support NASA’s science themes.
- Identify existing and developing technology which would support these missions.
- Integrate ULDB technology goals in existing NASA technology programs.
- Identify university, industrial and other government agencies as partners in technology development.

## Planned Approach

- Identify Science Concepts
- Identify Technology Needs
- Technology Roadmap
- Attempts to predict technology needs in the near and long term
- Technology Workshop
- Provide feedback to roadmap
- Forge technology partnerships
- AAS & other meeting presentations
- Communicate the ULDB goal to support ambitious science

## Process

- Survey to 1996 Balloon Technology Workshop attendees as well as others with keen interest in scientific ballooning.
- letter + matrix of missions/technologies developed from the ‘96 workshop
- Ambitious science missions were identified from the survey responses.

## Survey Letter

- Dear Potential ULDB (Ultra-Long Duration Balloon ) PI,
- We, the ULDB study team, are in the process of identifying technologies which will enhance the scientific payoff of the ULDB program.  A goal of this study is to determine a technology implementation plan, or road-map, which defines the schedule of technology infusion into the program for the next 5 to 15 years.  The guiding principle of this study is to enable more ambitious scientific missions and to broaden the scientific constituency utilizing the ULDB program.  In short, our purpose is to provide more and better opportunities for scientific inquiry.
- Our study team has put together a  short list of  technology topics related to various science missions.  The list of potential missions  are in tabular form as an attachment to this e-mail.  (If you can not read it I will try to resend it in a form you can or FAX it to you.  My phone number is 301-286-5841)  Since we would like to make this list as inclusive as possible, we would like you to give us your input.  Could you take the time to answer the following questions.
- 1.  Which of the concept missions in your disciplines would be enabled by the Ultra-Long Duration Balloon Program?  What technological enhancements  (either those we've identified or ones you suggest) would make this possible?
- 2.  Would technological enhancements to the ULDB program enable you to propose a UNEX mission?  What are these enhancements?
- If you think any of your colleagues would provide us with valuable inputs, please encourage her/him to send me a reply.
- Please send your responses via e-mail to me at:  Robin.Mauk@gsfc.nasa.gov .
- 	Regards,
- 	 Robin Mauk

## Survey Matrix

## Survey Matrix (Continued)

## Scientists Providing Concepts/Feedback*

- Bill Craig
- David Rust
- Hugh S. Hudson
- Derck Massa
- Giovanni G. Fazio
- Richard Rothschild
- Gail Bingham

- John Mather
- Josh Grindley
- Jun Nishimura
- Holland Ford
- Ron Allen
- Chris Burrows
- Rich White

- * As of 5 June 98

## ULDB

- New program for space science
- Enable small investigations as well as major science missions
- Identify technology to enhance mission for next 5 - 15 years.

- 0

- 100

- 200

- 300

- 400

- 500

- 600

- 700

- ft

- 20M ft3 balloon

- 2000 lb science payload

- 90,000 to 130,000 ft
- working altitude

- Mission duration
- around 100 days

## 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

## Capabilities

- Enable facility type missions
- Fly large telescope for approximately 100 days
- Recover, refit, and re-fly
- Science
- Based on atmospheric transmission
- Gamma Rays    >90,000 ft
- Hard X-rays      >110,000 ft    ~  1 -     20 Å
- Soft X-rays       >140,000 ft    ~  20 -   200 Å
- Far UV             >150,000 ft     ~  200 - 1200 Å *
- Near UV           >110,000 ft     ~  1200 - 3000 Å **
- IR                      >90,000 ft

## Capabilities (continued)

- Power and Thermal - same as a spacecraft.
- Communication - same as a spacecraft.
- Payloads
- Greater than 2000 lb. science
- Large structures fully deployed at launch
- Efficiency
- Mid-latitude flights:  100 days with 12 hour cycles
- Polar flights:  100 days full sun or full night
- For comparison:
- LEO S/C:  33% efficiency (2,900 on target hours per 1 year mission)
- 100 day Polar ULDB flight:  100% efficiency (2,400 on target hours)

## Example Mission Concepts

- A focusing telescope for energies above 20 keV.  Energy range is 20 - 90 keV.  It needs >125,000 feet for 100 days.
- 3m or greater IR/optical telescope
- Antarctic night flights
- Radiatively cooled primary mirror & diffraction limited optics
- Large volume (20 liters Ge) gamma-ray spectrometer
- A 1.5 M or larger telescope to resolve the fundamental magnetic field structures on the sun.
- 4 and 16 Mbytes/exposure, i.e., 50 - 100 Mbps, need TDRS SA capability
- Interferometer/planet finder
- 1 milliarcsecond (mas) imaging

## Roadmap Organization

- Technology Roadmap Topics Based on Requirements
- Draft out for comments
- First release scheduled for 9/98
- For each technology area we will discuss
- Critical Requirements
- Enabled science
- Technologies under consideration
- What is needed
- Technical goals
- Today’s state-of-the-art (SOTA)
- Technology Readiness Levels
- Cross cutting applications
- Technology Partners

## Technology Topics Based on Requirements

- Balloon
- Trajectory Control
- Power
- Generation
- Storage
- Management & Distribution
- Communications
- Data collection
- Data return
- Command & control
- Thermal

- Pointing
- Termination systems
- Robust launch system
- Field of view
- Operations Autonomy
- Lightning strike hardened
- Static discharge

- The following five slides are the communications section taken from the roadmap to show how each requirements driven technology topic will be addressed in the roadmap.

## Communications

**Critical Requirements**
- Terra-bytes of data to the scientists over a 100 day mission
- Return data often enough to ensure mission success if payload is lost
- Command and control requirements will very according to science:
- Range from autonomous operations to near real time command and control
- Near constant knowledge of balloon craft position required for safety
**Enabled Science**
- Solar studies
- Interferometers
- Downward looking imagers
- All Polar flights - in data and in command and control
**Technologies under consideration**
- Polar TDRS coverage and LEO polar communications satellites
- TDRS demand access capability
- New commercial communications systems being put in place in the next five years
- Data storage and drop

## Data Return

- Data Return

**What is needed**
- Return of on board (Terabits) data
- Large deployable antennas
- Phased array antennas
- Portable high rate ground station
- High power transmitters

**Technology Goals**
- Burst data return
- Via RF link
- Via media drop
- Quasi-real time operations with ultra-high rates by year 2003

**Today’s State of the Art**
- At the Poles
- TDRS 3.6 hours/day
- 150 kbps MA
- Mid and low latitudes
- TDRS and other geosynchronous communications satellite services

**Technology Readiness Levels (TRL)**

- Ultra-high rate
- RT by 2003

- Low-cost TDRS
- transponder

- 50 kbps MA
- at  S. Pole

- 150 kbps MA
- 300 Mbps SA
- at S. Pole

**1-3  Concept**

- TRLs

## Data Storage  

- Data Storage

**What is needed**
- On board (Terabytes)
- Interface for data return (Terabytes)

**Technology Goals**
- On-board storage of 1 Terabyte available in 1999 on a “3480-size” cartridge, also will be available on a 14” platter in 2002;   5-10 Terabytes by 2005
-  Storage systems that can operate in near vacuum
- Cost effectiveness

**Today’s State of the Art**
- For more details, please see Appendix D
- Storage Capacities range from a few gigabytes to several hundred.  Some examples are:
- DLT7000 - 35GB, SuperDLT tapes 100-500GB,
- Optical disk drives can hold up to 1 Terabyte but are currently cost prohibitive.
- Hard disks can hold 18 GB each and can be stacked; currently not  cost effective.

**Technology Readiness Levels (TRL)**

- 1 TB on a
- 14” platter

- 1 TB LOTS
- Worm Technology

- 100 GB SuperDLT

- TRLs

**1-3  Concept**

## Command & Control

**What is needed**
- System to remotely control balloon craft
- For safety
- For trajectory control
- Capability for flight planning and command load generation from planning inputs
- Capability to provide minimal/emergency instrument monitor and control or full control of science program according to PI needs.

**Technology Goals**
- Provide a system that is responsive to support safe balloon craft, instrument and operation
- Automated operations to minimize operator direct involvement and key personnel during off shift periods
- Provide capability to manage a range of instruments
- Provide an interface for PIs who require direct control of instruments

**Today’s State of the Art**
- Several companies provide COTS systems with control center operations
- At least one system integrates instrument ground control and onboard but is not least expensive

**Technology Readiness Levels (TRL)**

- Trajectory control
- by 2005

- Global low rate
- forward & return links

- LOS & low rate com.
- but not world wide

- Instrument control
- from PI home institution

**1-3  Concept**

- TRLs

## Communications

**Cross Cutting Applications:**
- Application of commercial services:  Low to medium altitude space missions.
- Magnetic disk recorder pressurization:  Space missions.
**Technology Partners:**
- GSFC
- LeRC
- Commercial tape manufacturers such as Quantum, IBM, Sony, Tecmar Technologies, etc.
**                **

*Communications*

## Status

- Support is picking up (in addition to Codes 600 & 800)
- Key scientists are providing concepts
- NASA Lewis on battery technology
- JPL on cross cutting planetary balloon requirements
- NASA GSFC
- STAAC (Code 700)
- AETD (Code 500)
- Commercial companies providing technology input
- Working with the Earth Sciences Directorate, Code 900, to identify needs and gain endorsement.

## Some Key Technologies

- Data Storage
- Terabyte data storage
- Communication
- Polar TDRS capability
- 150 kbps MA
- 300 Mbps SA
- Power
- Power generation and power management systems for mid-latitude and arctic nights.

- Backup Slides