# Presentation: 150435

## StratoSatTM Platforms for Earth Science Applications

**Presentation at **
**IGARSS 2002: Earth Science Vision Special Session**
**25 June 2002**
**by**
**Matthew Kuperus Heun (GAC)**
**Co-authors****Alexey Pankine, Kim Aaron, Kerry Nock (GAC)****Warren Wiscombe (NASA/GSFC)****Bob Mahan (Va Tech)****Wenying Su (NASA/LaRC)**

## Topics

**StratoSatTM Platform**
**Science Applications**
**Simulations of StratoSatTM Constellations**
**Summary**

## STRATOSATTM PLATFORM

## STRATOSATTM PLATFORM SCHEMATIC

**STRATOSATTM PLATFORM SCHEMATIC**

**StratoSatTM Flight System**

**System**
**Elements**

## 	Advanced Ultra Long Duration Balloon (ULDB) as being Developed by NASA
“Pumpkin” design (const. alt.)
Advanced polyethylene film
Zylon® load tendons

**“****Pumpkin” design (const. alt.)**
**Advanced polyethylene film**
**Zylon****®**** load tendons**

**STRATOSATTM BALLOON DESIGN**

***NASA ULDB***
***Hangar Tests***

## Successful June 2000Sub-scale ULDB Test

## STRATOSAIL® TCS FEATURES

**Passively exploits natural wind conditions**
**Operates day and night**
**Wide range of control directions**
**Lightweight, <100 kg**
**No consumables**
**Very low power**

## STRATOSAIL® TCS ROLL OUTMarch 16, 2002

**STRATOSAIL® TCS ROLL OUT****March 16, 2002**

**Wing Assembly**

**Winch Testbed**

## SCIENCE APPLICATIONS

## VECTOR MAGNETIC FIELD

**VECTOR MAGNETIC FIELD**

**ESE Question**
**	****What are the motions of the Earth’s interior?**
**Measurement**
**	****Magnetic field gradient**
**Advantages**
**Cover oceans and remote areas**
**Increased range**
**Eliminate ionospheric noise**

## RADIATIVE FLUXES AT TOA

**ESE Question**
**What trends in solar radiation are driving global climate?**
**Measurement**
**Radiative fluxes at TOA**
**Advantages**
**No radiance-to-flux conversion**
**Obtain “ground truth”**
**Observe ERB dynamics**

## ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY

**ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY**

**ESE Question**
**	****How is stratospheric ozone changing?**
**Measurements**
**	****Remote and in-situ measurements of vertical profiles of temperature, pressure, ozone, water vapor, and tracer elements **
**Advantages**
**	****No other known method can characterize “trop-strat” exchange and tropical pipe boundaries**

## SIMULATIONS OFSTRATOSATTM CONSTELLATIONS

## IMPORTANCE OF CONSTELLATIONS

**Multiple platforms provide unprecedented observing opportunities**
**Coordinated measurements**
**Adaptive observing capabilities**
**Global coverage at TOA**
**Reduce unit cost of individual platforms**
**Expand thinking about stratospheric in-situ observations**

## HEMISPHERIC CONSTELLATION

***Legend***
**Red = balloon position**
**Yellow = 2° elevation angle view zone**
**Green = zone overlap**

**383 platforms (35 km)**
**StratoSail® TCS (20 km)**
**Control**
**“****Flock of Birds”**
**15° to pole **
**Maintain uniform coverage**
**1 year**
**173,000x real time**
**UKMO data**

- A simulation movie wasincluded here with the original presentation.

## ADAPTIVE CONSTELLATION

**100 platforms (35 km)**
**StratoSail® TCS (20 km)**
**4 Targets ****(Natural Disasters)**
**Control**
**“****Flock of Birds”**
**±20° latitude **
**Maintain Latitude**
**Overfly target**
**1 year **
**350,000x real time**
**UKMO data**

***Legend***
**Red = balloon position**
**Yellow = 2° elevation angle view zone**
**Green = zone overlap**

- A simulation movie wasincluded here with the original presentation.

## SUMMARY

**NASA’s ESE would benefit tremendously from long-duration, autonomously coordinated, *****in-situ***** measurements in the stratosphere**
**StratoSatTM platforms can contribute to Earth science vision**
**Development of platform architecture could revolutionize Earth science by answering fundamental questions about**
**Atmospheric chemistry**
**Earth radiation balance**
**Geomagnetism**

## Slide 18