Details of the balloon and launch operations

Launch site: Scientific Flight Balloon Facility, New Mexico, US  
  Launch team: National Scientific Balloon Facility (NSBF)
Balloon: Open balloon (zero pressure) 110.000 m3 - SF3-4.001-.8/.8-NA
Serial number: R4.00-1-14
Flight identification number: 498N
Campaign: - 
Payload weight: -
Gondola weight: -
Overall weight: -

The ULDB ballooncraft attached to a zero-pressure balloon was launched using the dynamic launch method from Ft Sumner, NM.

The ballooncraft was recovered in excellent condition after a flight of 28 hours but the radiometers were destroyed at impact.

Description of the payload or experiment

ULDB (Ultra Long Duration Balloon) - SUPPORT SYSTEMS TEST

Responsable institution:  New Mexico State University / NASA Wallops Flight Facility
Principal Investigator:  Stuchlik

A project to develope a balloon system capable of providing scientific measurements for 100-day missions with floating altitude close to 35km transporting payloads of near 1.5 tons.

It is a super-pressure balloon made of a composite fabric (polyester + polyethylene film and fabric) that is filled with Helium and hermetically sealed. Meridional tendons provide additional rigidity to the envelope. The pressure inside the envelop is maintained above the ambient pressure at all times to keep the balloon afloat at a constant altitude. During daytime the internal pressure increases due to solar heating but the volume remains constant due to the rigidity of the envelope. At night the pressure drops due to infrared radiative cooling to space, but as long as the internal pressure remains above the ambient pressure, the balloon stays at the same altitude.

On the future, transported by stratospheric winds around the globe at 30m/s the ULDB would be make a full circunnavegation to Earth in about 2 weeks.

Performance in flight and data obtained

In this technological flight the payload consisted of a small platform carrying an Eppley pyrgeometer and a modified Eppley pyranometer attached to the bottom of the ballooncraft.

The instruments had an unobstructed hemispherical view of the upwelling radiative field.

The ballooncraft was recovered in excellent condition but the radiometers were destroyed at impact.

External references and bibliographical sources