Ultra thin film balloon for flying high altitude
Abstract
Development of a balloon to fly at higher altitudes is one of the most attractive challenges for scientific balloon technologies. In order to fly at high altitude, we have started to develop thin film balloon in 1997. After reaching the highest balloon altitude of 53.0 km using a 3.4 mum film in 2002, a thinner balloon film with a thickness of 2.8 mum was developed. In September 2013, a 80,000 m(3) balloon with a 2.8 mum film was launched as the 5th trial to the highest balloon altitude. The top 11 m of the balloon was covered by a cap film with a thickness of 2.8 mum to protect the balloon from possible damage due to the spooler at the time of launching. The balloon was equipped with an exhaust tube, which enables the balloon to stay at a level altitude. The balloon ascended with a speed of 8 m/sec, and it reached the highest altitude of 53.7 km beyond the past world record. It stayed at the level altitude for 12 minutes and the flight was terminated by tearing the rip panel. In this presentation, details of this flight and our future plan for thin film balloons will be reported.
- Publication:
-
40th COSPAR Scientific Assembly
- Pub Date:
- 2014
- Bibcode:
- 2014cosp...40E1142H