Data Downloaded via Parachute from a NASA Super-Pressure Balloon

Ellen L. Sirks; Richard Massey; Ajay S. Gill; Jason Anderson; Steven J. Benton; Anthony M. Brown; Paul Clark; Joshua English; Spencer W. Everett; Aurelien A. Fraisse; Hugo Franco; John W. Hartley; David Harvey; Bradley Holder; Andrew Hunter; Eric M. Huff; Andrew Hynous; Mathilde Jauzac; William C. Jones; Nikky Joyce; Duncan Kennedy; David Lagattuta; Jason S.Y. Leung; Lun Li; Stephen Lishman; Thuy Vy T. Luu; Jacqueline E. McCleary; Johanna M. Nagy; C. Barth Netterfield; Emaad Paracha; Robert Purcaru; Susan F. Redmond; Jason D. Rhodes; Andrew Robertson; L. Javier Romualdez; Sarah Roth; Robert Salter; Jürgen Schmoll; Mohamed M. Shaaban; Roger Smith; Russell Smith; Sut Ieng Tam; Georgios N. Vassilakis

doi:10.3390/aerospace10110960

Data Downloaded via Parachute from a NASA Super-Pressure Balloon

Ellen L. Sirks, Richard Massey, Ajay S. Gill, Jason Anderson, Steven J. Benton, Anthony M. Brown, Paul Clark, Joshua English, Spencer W. Everett, Aurelien A. Fraisse, Hugo Franco, John W. Hartley, David Harvey, Bradley Holder, Andrew Hunter, Eric M. Huff, Andrew Hynous, Mathilde Jauzac, William C. Jones, Nikky JoyceDuncan Kennedy, David Lagattuta, Jason S.Y. Leung, Lun Li, Stephen Lishman, Thuy Vy T. Luu, Jacqueline E. McCleary, Johanna M. Nagy, C. Barth Netterfield, Emaad Paracha, Robert Purcaru, Susan F. Redmond, Jason D. Rhodes, Andrew Robertson, L. Javier Romualdez, Sarah Roth, Robert Salter, Jürgen Schmoll, Mohamed M. Shaaban, Roger Smith, Russell Smith, Sut Ieng Tam, Georgios N. Vassilakis

Physics

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

4 Scopus citations

Abstract

In April 2023, the superBIT telescope was lifted to the Earth’s stratosphere by a helium-filled super-pressure balloon to acquire astronomical imaging from above (99.5% of) the Earth’s atmosphere. It was launched from New Zealand and then, for 40 days, circumnavigated the globe five times at a latitude 40 to 50 degrees south. Attached to the telescope were four “drs” (Data Recovery System) capsules containing 5 TB solid state data storage, plus a gnss receiver, Iridium transmitter, and parachute. Data from the telescope were copied to these, and two were dropped over Argentina. They drifted 61 km horizontally while they descended 32 km, but we predicted their descent vectors within 2.4 km: in this location, the discrepancy appears irreducible below ∼2 km because of high speed, gusty winds and local topography. The capsules then reported their own locations within a few metres. We recovered the capsules and successfully retrieved all of superBIT’s data despite the telescope itself being later destroyed on landing.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	960
Journal	Aerospace
Volume	10
Issue number	11
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace10110960
State	Published - Nov 2023

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Aerospace Engineering

Keywords

balloon instrumentation
data compression
data handling
large detector-systems performance
models and simulations

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10.3390/aerospace10110960

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Sirks, E. L., Massey, R., Gill, A. S., Anderson, J., Benton, S. J., Brown, A. M., Clark, P., English, J., Everett, S. W., Fraisse, A. A., Franco, H., Hartley, J. W., Harvey, D., Holder, B., Hunter, A., Huff, E. M., Hynous, A., Jauzac, M., Jones, W. C., ... Vassilakis, G. N. (2023). Data Downloaded via Parachute from a NASA Super-Pressure Balloon. Aerospace, 10(11), Article 960. https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace10110960

@article{77c94ad8857f4e2c99bf8c423e5a2555,

title = "Data Downloaded via Parachute from a NASA Super-Pressure Balloon",

abstract = "In April 2023, the superBIT telescope was lifted to the Earth{\textquoteright}s stratosphere by a helium-filled super-pressure balloon to acquire astronomical imaging from above (99.5% of) the Earth{\textquoteright}s atmosphere. It was launched from New Zealand and then, for 40 days, circumnavigated the globe five times at a latitude 40 to 50 degrees south. Attached to the telescope were four “drs” (Data Recovery System) capsules containing 5 TB solid state data storage, plus a gnss receiver, Iridium transmitter, and parachute. Data from the telescope were copied to these, and two were dropped over Argentina. They drifted 61 km horizontally while they descended 32 km, but we predicted their descent vectors within 2.4 km: in this location, the discrepancy appears irreducible below ∼2 km because of high speed, gusty winds and local topography. The capsules then reported their own locations within a few metres. We recovered the capsules and successfully retrieved all of superBIT{\textquoteright}s data despite the telescope itself being later destroyed on landing.",

keywords = "balloon instrumentation, data compression, data handling, large detector-systems performance, models and simulations",

author = "Sirks, {Ellen L.} and Richard Massey and Gill, {Ajay S.} and Jason Anderson and Benton, {Steven J.} and Brown, {Anthony M.} and Paul Clark and Joshua English and Everett, {Spencer W.} and Fraisse, {Aurelien A.} and Hugo Franco and Hartley, {John W.} and David Harvey and Bradley Holder and Andrew Hunter and Huff, {Eric M.} and Andrew Hynous and Mathilde Jauzac and Jones, {William C.} and Nikky Joyce and Duncan Kennedy and David Lagattuta and Leung, {Jason S.Y.} and Lun Li and Stephen Lishman and Luu, {Thuy Vy T.} and McCleary, {Jacqueline E.} and Nagy, {Johanna M.} and Netterfield, {C. Barth} and Emaad Paracha and Robert Purcaru and Redmond, {Susan F.} and Rhodes, {Jason D.} and Andrew Robertson and Romualdez, {L. Javier} and Sarah Roth and Robert Salter and J{\"u}rgen Schmoll and Shaaban, {Mohamed M.} and Roger Smith and Russell Smith and Tam, {Sut Ieng} and Vassilakis, {Georgios N.}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2023 by the authors.",

year = "2023",

month = nov,

doi = "10.3390/aerospace10110960",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "10",

journal = "Aerospace",

issn = "2226-4310",

publisher = "Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI)",

number = "11",

}

Sirks, EL, Massey, R, Gill, AS, Anderson, J, Benton, SJ, Brown, AM, Clark, P, English, J, Everett, SW, Fraisse, AA, Franco, H, Hartley, JW, Harvey, D, Holder, B, Hunter, A, Huff, EM, Hynous, A, Jauzac, M, Jones, WC, Joyce, N, Kennedy, D, Lagattuta, D, Leung, JSY, Li, L, Lishman, S, Luu, TVT, McCleary, JE, Nagy, JM, Netterfield, CB, Paracha, E, Purcaru, R, Redmond, SF, Rhodes, JD, Robertson, A, Romualdez, LJ, Roth, S, Salter, R, Schmoll, J, Shaaban, MM, Smith, R, Smith, R, Tam, SI & Vassilakis, GN 2023, 'Data Downloaded via Parachute from a NASA Super-Pressure Balloon', Aerospace, vol. 10, no. 11, 960. https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace10110960

TY - JOUR

T1 - Data Downloaded via Parachute from a NASA Super-Pressure Balloon

AU - Sirks, Ellen L.

AU - Massey, Richard

AU - Gill, Ajay S.

AU - Anderson, Jason

AU - Benton, Steven J.

AU - Brown, Anthony M.

AU - Clark, Paul

AU - English, Joshua

AU - Everett, Spencer W.

AU - Fraisse, Aurelien A.

AU - Franco, Hugo

AU - Hartley, John W.

AU - Harvey, David

AU - Holder, Bradley

AU - Hunter, Andrew

AU - Huff, Eric M.

AU - Hynous, Andrew

AU - Jauzac, Mathilde

AU - Jones, William C.

AU - Joyce, Nikky

AU - Kennedy, Duncan

AU - Lagattuta, David

AU - Leung, Jason S.Y.

AU - Li, Lun

AU - Lishman, Stephen

AU - Luu, Thuy Vy T.

AU - McCleary, Jacqueline E.

AU - Nagy, Johanna M.

AU - Netterfield, C. Barth

AU - Paracha, Emaad

AU - Purcaru, Robert

AU - Redmond, Susan F.

AU - Rhodes, Jason D.

AU - Robertson, Andrew

AU - Romualdez, L. Javier

AU - Roth, Sarah

AU - Salter, Robert

AU - Schmoll, Jürgen

AU - Shaaban, Mohamed M.

AU - Smith, Roger

AU - Smith, Russell

AU - Tam, Sut Ieng

AU - Vassilakis, Georgios N.

PY - 2023/11

Y1 - 2023/11

N2 - In April 2023, the superBIT telescope was lifted to the Earth’s stratosphere by a helium-filled super-pressure balloon to acquire astronomical imaging from above (99.5% of) the Earth’s atmosphere. It was launched from New Zealand and then, for 40 days, circumnavigated the globe five times at a latitude 40 to 50 degrees south. Attached to the telescope were four “drs” (Data Recovery System) capsules containing 5 TB solid state data storage, plus a gnss receiver, Iridium transmitter, and parachute. Data from the telescope were copied to these, and two were dropped over Argentina. They drifted 61 km horizontally while they descended 32 km, but we predicted their descent vectors within 2.4 km: in this location, the discrepancy appears irreducible below ∼2 km because of high speed, gusty winds and local topography. The capsules then reported their own locations within a few metres. We recovered the capsules and successfully retrieved all of superBIT’s data despite the telescope itself being later destroyed on landing.

AB - In April 2023, the superBIT telescope was lifted to the Earth’s stratosphere by a helium-filled super-pressure balloon to acquire astronomical imaging from above (99.5% of) the Earth’s atmosphere. It was launched from New Zealand and then, for 40 days, circumnavigated the globe five times at a latitude 40 to 50 degrees south. Attached to the telescope were four “drs” (Data Recovery System) capsules containing 5 TB solid state data storage, plus a gnss receiver, Iridium transmitter, and parachute. Data from the telescope were copied to these, and two were dropped over Argentina. They drifted 61 km horizontally while they descended 32 km, but we predicted their descent vectors within 2.4 km: in this location, the discrepancy appears irreducible below ∼2 km because of high speed, gusty winds and local topography. The capsules then reported their own locations within a few metres. We recovered the capsules and successfully retrieved all of superBIT’s data despite the telescope itself being later destroyed on landing.

KW - balloon instrumentation

KW - data compression

KW - data handling

KW - large detector-systems performance

KW - models and simulations

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85178382136&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85178382136&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.3390/aerospace10110960

DO - 10.3390/aerospace10110960

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85178382136

SN - 2226-4310

VL - 10

JO - Aerospace

JF - Aerospace

IS - 11

M1 - 960

ER -

Data Downloaded via Parachute from a NASA Super-Pressure Balloon

Abstract

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Keywords

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