# Data Downloaded via Parachute from a NASA Super-Pressure Balloon
## 5 Discussion  
The first use of the drs capsules during a live science mission was a huge success. For a relatively small cost, we insured the scientific returns of superBIT against a loss event _that came true_: high bandwidth communication links failed, then the telescope was destroyed upon landing. We recommend that future balloon missions consider using this or similar systems. Our hardware design and software are open-source and freely available. Further development is continuing at nasa, with plans to offer a facility-class drs system. Possible improvements to drs hardware include (a better way to secure) a low-friction connector so it does not become disconnected during launch. The jerk when a drs falls away is sufficient that the right amount of rigidity may be provided by a standard Ethernet socket and plug with the retaining lug removed. Power over Ethernet can remove the need for any separate power cables. A related aspect of this is that securing a drs to the gondola mount currently requires fiddly routing of cables and cable ties inside a cramped case and pulling the ties taut (see Figure 2). More convenient assembly/disassembly will make it easier to perform many more test drops in situ than we achieved. Thermal management has greatly improved since our test flight in 2019 [6], with the Raspberry Pi operating reliably on demand throughout the mission. The internal batteries got cold, and a (throttled) thermal link from the Pi would have helped them stay ready to work immediately after release. Although our batteries eventually warmed up and worked fine after 40 days cold, we have not tested whether they would also recover as quickly after 100 days cold. It would also have been interesting if the drs stored gns data (at high frequency) during descent, even though it was too cold to power the Iridium transmitter, so the trajectory could be compared to our prediction. This is not possible in the current design concept, which intentionally has only a low-power microcontroller chip and no flash memory available after release, to maximise battery life in case searching for the drs takes a long time. Conceptualization, E.L.S., R.M., L.L., J.D.R., R.S. ([PERSON]) and R.S. ([PERSON]), methodology, A.S.G., A.M.B., P.C., J.E. and R.P. ; investigation (DRs hardware), J.A., A.H. ([PERSON]), N.J., D.K. and S.L. ; investigation (superBIT interface), S.J.B., S.W.E., A.A.F., J.W.H., D.H., B.H., E.M.H., M.J., W.C.J., D.L., J.S.-L., T.V.T.L., J.D.M.N., C.B.N., E.P., S.F.R., A.R., L.J.R., J.S., M.M.S., S.I.T. and G.N.V. ; investigation (rgb interface), H.F., A.H. ([PERSON]), S.R. and R.S. ([PERSON]); funding acquisition, R.M. ; supervision, R.M., W.C.J. and C.B.N. ; writing, E.L.S. and R.M. ; software, E.L.S. and P.C. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript. This research was funded by the Royal Society (grant RGF/EA/180026), the UK Science and Technology Facilities Council (grant ST/V005766/1), and an Impact Acceleration Award to Durham University. Launch and operational support for the 2023 superBIT flight from Wanaka, New Zealand, was provided by nasa. Funding for the development of superBIT was provided by nasa (grant apra NNX16 AF65G), the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (cifar), the Canadian Natural Science and Engineering Research Council (nserc), and Durham University's astronomy survey fund. This work was done in part at jpl, run under a contract for nasa by Caltech. **Infrared Consent Statement:** Not applicable. **Data Availability Statement:** Descent trajectories are available from [[https://github.com/[PERSON]/pyBalloon](https://github.com/[PERSON]/pyBalloon)]([https://github.com/[PERSON]/pyBalloon](https://github.com/EllenSirks/pyBalloon)). Full instructions to build a drs are available from [[https://github.com/PaulZC/Data_Recovery_System](https://github.com/PaulZC/Data_Recovery_System)]([https://github.com/PaulZC/Data_Recovery_System](https://github.com/PaulZC/Data_Recovery_System)).