Lighter-Than-Air Ballooning

Scientific Ballooning

The Ballooning team provides NASA's Balloon Program complete research, engineering, and operational support, which includes management and operation of the Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility (CSBF) in Palestine, TX, and Fort Sumner, NM. Balloon system research and development (R&D) also is supported at the Wallops Flight Facility (WFF) in Virginia and PSL's headquarters in Las Cruces.

The ballooning team is responsible for complete planning and operational support for launching approximately 25 high-altitude scientific balloons annually, with payloads weighing from several tens of pounds to 8,000 pounds each. Primary launch sites include Palestine and Fort Sumner with additional sites located throughout the world.

World leadership status has been attained in the area of high-altitude scientific ballooning, with more than 2,000 balloons launched (1,700 at CSBF) and its fast response to multi-year, multi-mission requirements.

Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility

Station-Keeping Vehicles

The Ballooning team also is involved in research and development of station-keeping vehicles, which include scientific ballooning and technical ballooning activities in support of customer requirements. The ballooning team is the world's foremost authority on operations in near space. Team members currently are working with government sponsors to advance the art and science of ballooning.

One current project is a near-space research and development effort to develop an aerodynamic balloon envelope capable of loitering for weeks or possibly even months at near-space altitudes carrying payloads of up to 500 lbs. Conceptually, this near-space platform will station keep at altitude, enabling scientific research or persistent surveillance operations. Project personnel currently are determining the technical answers to overcome the many significant challenges of aerodynamic shape, materials science, power systems, flight control, and payload stabilization.