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Code 820: Balloon Projects Office

General Description

  • The Balloon Program is developing a Super Pressure Pumpkin Balloon.
  • Super Pressure Balloon Demonstration Requirements
    • 1-ton instrument to 100 kft
    • 100-day flight goal
    • Little or no day/night altitude variation.
  • NASA has developed design tools to predict balloon deployment and performance.
  • There have been sufficient ground tests of scaled models to burst which have validated the analysis and determined the operational pressure limits.
  • The analytical tools have accurately predicted scaled model and flight balloon deployment and performance.
  • Manufacturing test data combined with implemented manufacturing and process control improvements have increased the quality and reliability of the Super Pressure Balloon.
  • "Super pressure" means there is a higher pressure inside the balloon than outside. The super pressure balloons flown by the NASA program are essentially very large pressure vessels. At float altitudes the balloons have a very slight differential pressure compared to the ambiaent atmosphere. This positive pressure is on the order of around .0363 psi under the highest pressure loading. Most of the time it is much lower.
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