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The Rocket Balloon (Rocketball): Applications to Science, Technology, and EducationOriginally envisioned to study upper atmospheric phenomena, the Rocket Balloon system (or Rocketball for short) has utility in a range of applications, including sprite detection and in-situ measurements, near-space measurements and calibration correlation with orbital assets, hurricane observation and characterization, technology testing and validation, ground observation, and education. A salient feature includes the need to reach space and near-space within a critical time-frame and in adverse local meteorological conditions. It can also provide for the execution of technology validation and operational demonstrations at a fraction of the cost of a space flight. In particular, planetary entry probe proof-of-concepts can be examined. A typical Rocketball operational scenario consists of a sounding rocket launch and subsequent deployment of a balloon above a desired location. An obvious advantage of this combination is the additional mission 'hang-time' rendered by the balloon once the sounding rocket flight is completed. The system leverages current and emergent technologies at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center and other organizations.
Document ID
20090012443
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Preprint (Draft being sent to journal)
Authors
Esper, Jaime
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Date Acquired
August 24, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 2009
Subject Category
Launch Vehicles And Launch Operations
Report/Patent Number
IAA-B7-1301
Report Number: IAA-B7-1301
Meeting Information
Meeting: 7th IAA Symposium on Small Satellites for Earth Observation/International Academy of Astronautics (IAA) and German Aerospace Center (DLR)
Location: Berlin
Country: Germany
Start Date: May 4, 2009
End Date: May 8, 2009
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.
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