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Mars Balloon Flight Test ResultsThis paper describes a set of four Earth atmosphere flight test experiments on prototype helium superpressure balloons designed for Mars. Three of the experiments explored the problem of aerial deployment and inflation, using the cold, low density environment of the Earth's stratosphere at an altitude of 30-32 km as a proxy for the Martian atmosphere. Auxiliary carrier balloons were used in three of these test flights to lift the Mars balloon prototype and its supporting system from the ground to the stratosphere where the experiment was conducted. In each case, deployment and helium inflation was initiated after starting a parachute descent of the payload at 5 Pa dynamic pressure, thereby mimicking the conditions expected at Mars after atmospheric entry and high speed parachute deceleration. Upward and downward looking video cameras provided real time images from the flights, with additional data provided by onboard temperature, pressure and GPS sensors. One test of a 660 cc pumpkin balloon was highly successful, achieving deployment, inflation and separation of the balloon from the flight train at the end of inflation; however, some damage was incurred on the balloon during this process. Two flight tests of 12 m diameter spherical Mylar balloons were not successful, although some lessons were learned based on the failure analyses. The final flight experiment consisted of a ground-launched 12 m diameter spherical Mylar balloon that ascended to the designed 30.3 km altitude and successfully floated for 9.5 hours through full noontime daylight and into darkness, after which the telemetry system ran out of electrical power and tracking was lost. The altitude excursions for this last flight were +/-75 m peak to peak, indicating that the balloon was essentially leak free and functioning correctly. This provides substantial confidence that this balloon design will fly for days or weeks at Mars if it can be deployed and inflated without damage.
Document ID
20150011965
Acquisition Source
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Document Type
Conference Paper
External Source(s)
Authors
Hall, Jeffery L.
(Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Pauken, Michael T.
(Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Kerzhanovich, Viktor V.
(Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Walsh, Gerald J.
(Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Kulczycki, Eric A.
(Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Fairbrother, Debora
(NASA Wallops Flight Facility Wallops Island, VA, United States)
Shreves, Chris
(NASA Wallops Flight Facility Wallops Island, VA, United States)
Lachenmeier, Tim
(Near Space Corp. United States)
Date Acquired
July 1, 2015
Publication Date
May 5, 2009
Subject Category
Space Sciences (General)
Report/Patent Number
AIAA Paper 2009- 2809
Meeting Information
Meeting: AIAA Balloon Systems Conference
Location: Seattle, WA
Country: United States
Start Date: May 5, 2009
End Date: May 7, 2009
Sponsors: American Inst. of Aeronautics and Astronautics
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other
Keywords
deployment
inflation
aerobot

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