NASA support for HAPS development and testing

The current NASA Earth Science Division strategy, referred to as the Earth System Observatory, is intended to more tightly integrate observations across platforms, instruments, and scales, to improve earth system models and support decision making. Within this framework High Altitude Platform Stations (HAPS) will complement satellite observations by providing high spatial and temporal resolution observations of the surface and atmosphere. A 2021 report by the U.S. National Academies of Science and Engineering (NASEM) on NASA Airborne Science highlighted the promise of HAPS for observing ephemeral or fast changing phenomenon such as wildfires, volcanos, and air and water quality events, but estimated another decade of system development and testing was needed before significant science contributions would be realized. As platforms are tested and procedures are put in place to enable use within the National Airspace System there is growing interest in the science community to make use of this new vantage point for Earth Observations. The NASA Surface Topography and Vegetation (STV) Incubation Study Team report calls for HAPS to be a fundamental component of the STV observing system architecture for a multi-platform constellation in the 2035 timeframe. Also, the current NASA FireSense and NASA ACERO Projects, 5-yr efforts to transition new technologies to operations, are focusing on the CONOPS development, airspace integration and use of HAPS for providing realtime observations to fire scientists and managers. NASA investments in instrument and sub-system miniaturization for cubesats and smallsats are well aligned with HAPS. NASA is currently supporting the maturation of HAPS for Earth observations through competed research opportunities such as the NASA Instrument Incubator Program, NASA Flight Opportunities Program, NASA Advanced Information Systems Technology Program, the Earth Venture Suborbital Program, and the NASA Small Business Innovative Research Programs. These Programs fund development of high-quality, miniaturized science payloads, prototyping and flight testing of low-cost, science-capable platforms, advanced planning and scheduling tools to improve the science output of future flights, and working in partnership with other agencies to conduct flight demonstrations. This presentation will provide an overview of NASA interests in HAPS, currently funded projects, and partnerships that are helping to make HAPS a viable component of the future NASA Earth System Observatory.