Towards a European Stratospheric Balloon Observatory - Planetary Science Applications
Abstract
This paper presents the follow-up project to the ORISON study [1] and its approach to create a community-accessible, regularly flying stratospheric balloon-based observatory. Implemented with a focus on regular flights and broad access, balloon-based systems such as the ones presented have the potential to complement ground and space based observations. The stratospheric observation conditions make such systems particularly suitable for planetary observations. They not only provide access to spectral regimes inaccessible from the ground and photometric stabilities not obtainable from the ground, but also observational opportunities at additional times of the daily cycle and throughout the year. Particularly long-duration circumpolar flights offer almost continuous observation possibilities over up to 30 to 40 days, with Ultra Long Duration mission on the horizon promising even longer flights of 100 days and more. In this paper, we present long-term plans to establish a European Stratospheric Balloon Observatory (ESBO), the prototype platform currently under development, and exemplary applications for planetary science.
- Publication:
-
European Planetary Science Congress
- Pub Date:
- September 2018
- Bibcode:
- 2018EPSC...12.1282M