The challenge to balloon science

Abstract

A thorough review of the NASA balloon program in 1995 confirmed both the inherent importance of balloon science investigations and their value for developing technology for future space missions. A follow-on study in 1996 looked into restructuring the entire suborbital program, in order to find more efficient and effective ways of doing business. These studies were mandated by the adverse impact of NASA's declining budgets and work force constraints on all aspects of space research. The challenge is to accomplish more with less. The balloon program began stepping up to this challenge several years ago with the advent of 10 – 20 day long-duration flights in Antarctica. We must now push ahead with enhanced flight capabilities and with new science instrument technologies, as we forge alliances with other modes of low-cost access to space. Specifically, the development of sealed superpressure balloons could extend flight duration by another order of magnitude, to about 100 days, making ballooning even more competitive with space missions.