NASA engineers complete 17-day balloon flight, testing a new “super pressure” technology
Click for original map
NASA engineers have decided to end a flight test of a new “super pressure” balloon after flying for seventeen days and circling Antarctica.
While the mission successfully met its minimum requirements for qualification of the balloon, the team had been monitoring minor performance issues and suspected that the system had a small leak. The balloon was maintaining its predicted float altitude during daytime hours; however, it started to show considerable drops in altitude, especially as it passed through areas of colder temperatures like storm systems.
…Teams continued to closely monitor the health and performance of the balloon as it continued flight, and its ability to safely make it to the next predicted land crossing in South America for recovery of the balloon and payload. However, at approximately four additional days until land, all ballast expended to manage altitude stability, and recent altitude excursions during night periods down to 60,000 feet, continued flight became unlikely. NASA ultimately decided to terminate the flight to ensure the greatest level of control and safety during descent. “Due to the mission’s trajectory coupled with system performance, termination and recovery at the next land over flight was not possible due to unacceptable public risk,” said Garde.
This first flight is part of a two-flight test program this season, with the second super pressure balloon already in flight. Like the first, it is aiming for a 100 day flight circling the globe at the high mid-latitudes comparable to its launch site in New Zealand. You can track its flight in real time here.
As with all NASA test programs like this, the real question will be whether this technology will be used for any practical purpose once the program is completed, or whether it will be shelved away and forgotten. For most such programs, it is the latter that occurs. In this case however there are a number of companies attempting to make money selling tourists flights on less sophisticated high altitude balloons, and those companies might be interested in adopting this technology. There are also several balloon companies that provide surveillance data for the military which might be interested as well.
Readers!
My annual February birthday fund-raising drive for Behind the Black is now over. Thank you to everyone who donated or subscribed. While not a record-setter, the donations were more than sufficient and slightly above average.
As I have said many times before, I can’t express what it means to me to get such support, especially as no one is required to pay anything to read my work. Thank you all again!
For those readers who like my work here at Behind the Black and haven't contributed so far, please consider donating or subscribing. My analysis of space, politics, and culture, taken from the perspective of an historian, is almost always on the money and ahead of the game. For example, in 2020 I correctly predicted that the COVID panic was unnecessary, that the virus was apparently simply a variation of the flu, that masks were not simply pointless but if worn incorrectly were a health threat, that the lockdowns were a disaster and did nothing to stop the spread of COVID. Every one of those 2020 conclusions has turned out right.
Your help allows me to do this kind of intelligent analysis. I take no advertising or sponsors, so my reporting isn't influenced by donations by established space or drug companies. Instead, I rely entirely on donations and subscriptions from my readers, which gives me the freedom to write what I think, unencumbered by outside influences.
You can support me either by giving a one-time contribution or a regular subscription. There are four ways of doing so:
1. Zelle: This is the only internet method that charges no fees. All you have to do is use the Zelle link at your internet bank and give my name and email address (zimmerman at nasw dot org). What you donate is what I get.
2. Patreon: Go to my website there and pick one of five monthly subscription amounts, or by making a one-time donation.
3. A Paypal Donation or subscription:
4. Donate by check, payable to Robert Zimmerman and mailed to
Behind The Black
c/o Robert Zimmerman
P.O.Box 1262
Cortaro, AZ 85652
You can also support me by buying one of my books, as noted in the boxes interspersed throughout the webpage or shown in the menu above.
Click for original map
NASA engineers have decided to end a flight test of a new “super pressure” balloon after flying for seventeen days and circling Antarctica.
While the mission successfully met its minimum requirements for qualification of the balloon, the team had been monitoring minor performance issues and suspected that the system had a small leak. The balloon was maintaining its predicted float altitude during daytime hours; however, it started to show considerable drops in altitude, especially as it passed through areas of colder temperatures like storm systems.
…Teams continued to closely monitor the health and performance of the balloon as it continued flight, and its ability to safely make it to the next predicted land crossing in South America for recovery of the balloon and payload. However, at approximately four additional days until land, all ballast expended to manage altitude stability, and recent altitude excursions during night periods down to 60,000 feet, continued flight became unlikely. NASA ultimately decided to terminate the flight to ensure the greatest level of control and safety during descent. “Due to the mission’s trajectory coupled with system performance, termination and recovery at the next land over flight was not possible due to unacceptable public risk,” said Garde.
This first flight is part of a two-flight test program this season, with the second super pressure balloon already in flight. Like the first, it is aiming for a 100 day flight circling the globe at the high mid-latitudes comparable to its launch site in New Zealand. You can track its flight in real time here.
As with all NASA test programs like this, the real question will be whether this technology will be used for any practical purpose once the program is completed, or whether it will be shelved away and forgotten. For most such programs, it is the latter that occurs. In this case however there are a number of companies attempting to make money selling tourists flights on less sophisticated high altitude balloons, and those companies might be interested in adopting this technology. There are also several balloon companies that provide surveillance data for the military which might be interested as well.
Readers!
My annual February birthday fund-raising drive for Behind the Black is now over. Thank you to everyone who donated or subscribed. While not a record-setter, the donations were more than sufficient and slightly above average.
As I have said many times before, I can’t express what it means to me to get such support, especially as no one is required to pay anything to read my work. Thank you all again!
For those readers who like my work here at Behind the Black and haven't contributed so far, please consider donating or subscribing. My analysis of space, politics, and culture, taken from the perspective of an historian, is almost always on the money and ahead of the game. For example, in 2020 I correctly predicted that the COVID panic was unnecessary, that the virus was apparently simply a variation of the flu, that masks were not simply pointless but if worn incorrectly were a health threat, that the lockdowns were a disaster and did nothing to stop the spread of COVID. Every one of those 2020 conclusions has turned out right.
Your help allows me to do this kind of intelligent analysis. I take no advertising or sponsors, so my reporting isn't influenced by donations by established space or drug companies. Instead, I rely entirely on donations and subscriptions from my readers, which gives me the freedom to write what I think, unencumbered by outside influences.
You can support me either by giving a one-time contribution or a regular subscription. There are four ways of doing so:
1. Zelle: This is the only internet method that charges no fees. All you have to do is use the Zelle link at your internet bank and give my name and email address (zimmerman at nasw dot org). What you donate is what I get.
2. Patreon: Go to my website there and pick one of five monthly subscription amounts, or by making a one-time donation.
3. A Paypal Donation or subscription:
4. Donate by check, payable to Robert Zimmerman and mailed to
Behind The Black
c/o Robert Zimmerman
P.O.Box 1262
Cortaro, AZ 85652
You can also support me by buying one of my books, as noted in the boxes interspersed throughout the webpage or shown in the menu above.
Readers: the rules for commenting!
No registration is required. I welcome all opinions, even those that strongly criticize my commentary.
However, name-calling and obscenities will not be tolerated. First time offenders who are new to the site will be warned. Second time offenders or first time offenders who have been here awhile will be suspended for a week. After that, I will ban you. Period.
Note also that first time commenters as well as any comment with more than one link will be placed in moderation for my approval. Be patient, I will get to it.