This research attempts to advance the state-of-the-art of balloon design by developing a method to realistically approximate the stress levels in an ascending balloon. the approach will be to combine existing studies on ascent shapes, material properties, and heat transfer mechanisms to produce a… More

This proposal addresses the design and fabrication of a long endurance balloon vehicle having a one-year life at 120,000 feet. the concept makes use of the experience gained by the scientific community over the past two decades in flying smaller payloads for long periods of time. the approach to be… More

This proposal addresses the development of an automated real-time flaw detection system for evaluating heat seals of scientific balloons. several measurement devices will be laboratory tested for their ability to distinguish a flawed seal sample from a good sea. measurement devices under… More

This innovation proposes the use of a thin film stratospheric balloon to lift a launch vehicle with a payload to an altitude above most of the Earth's atmosphere, then ignite the launch vehicle rocket motor. It will have the capability to carry the payload to its final destination, either into… More

This innovative research effort is directed at determining, quantitatively, the convective heat transfer coefficients applicable to a Montgolfiere balloon operating in an atmosphere simulating that of Titan. It is anticipated that a platform such as this will provide the mobility desired to explore… More