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Data Downloaded via Parachute from a NASA Super-Pressure Balloon

Authors :
Ellen L. Sirks
Richard Massey
Ajay S. Gill
Jason Anderson
Steven J. Benton
Anthony M. Brown
Paul Clark
Joshua English
Spencer W. Everett
Aurelien A. Fraisse
Hugo Franco
John W. Hartley
David Harvey
Bradley Holder
Andrew Hunter
Eric M. Huff
Andrew Hynous
Mathilde Jauzac
William C. Jones
Nikky Joyce
Duncan Kennedy
David Lagattuta
Jason S.-Y. Leung
Lun Li
Stephen Lishman
Thuy Vy T. Luu
Jacqueline E. McCleary
Johanna M. Nagy
C. Barth Netterfield
Emaad Paracha
Robert Purcaru
Susan F. Redmond
Jason D. Rhodes
Andrew Robertson
L. Javier Romualdez
Sarah Roth
Robert Salter
Jürgen Schmoll
Mohamed M. Shaaban
Roger Smith
Russell Smith
Sut Ieng Tam
Georgios N. Vassilakis
Source :
Aerospace, Vol 10, Iss 11, p 960 (2023)
Publication Year :
2023
Publisher :
MDPI AG, 2023.

Abstract

In April 2023, the superBIT telescope was lifted to the Earth’s stratosphere by a helium-filled super-pressure balloon to acquire astronomical imaging from above (99.5% of) the Earth’s atmosphere. It was launched from New Zealand and then, for 40 days, circumnavigated the globe five times at a latitude 40 to 50 degrees south. Attached to the telescope were four “drs” (Data Recovery System) capsules containing 5 TB solid state data storage, plus a gnss receiver, Iridium transmitter, and parachute. Data from the telescope were copied to these, and two were dropped over Argentina. They drifted 61 km horizontally while they descended 32 km, but we predicted their descent vectors within 2.4 km: in this location, the discrepancy appears irreducible below ∼2 km because of high speed, gusty winds and local topography. The capsules then reported their own locations within a few metres. We recovered the capsules and successfully retrieved all of superBIT’s data despite the telescope itself being later destroyed on landing.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
22264310
Volume :
10
Issue :
11
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
Aerospace
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.53202257b90d49b69803e3b7ef2265a0
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace10110960