Balloon Programs to Address NASA Science Priorities

1. Jonathan F. Ormes Univ. of Denver April , 2007 Balloon Programs to Address NASA Science Priorities

2. Stanford University

3. Positions Joined GSFC in 1967 as an National Research Council Resident Research Academy Hired to permanent staff in 1969 Head, Nuclear Astrophysics Branch, 1/1982-9/1990 Chief, Laboratory for High Energy Astrophysics, 9/1990—10/8/2000 Director of Space Sciences, 9/3/00-7/4/2004 University of Denver, 7/5/2004 – present My research interests are in the area of High Energy Astrophysics, in particular cosmic-ray or particle astrophysics and gamma-ray astronomy, the boundary between high energy physics and astrophysics. Introducing myself

4. Independent Programmatic Review Committee February 24, 2005 Report of the Scientific Ballooning Roadmap Team Martin Israel mhi@wuphys.wustl.edu 314-935-6263

5. Martin Israel Washington University in St. Louis, Chair Steven Boggs University of California - Berkeley Michael Cherry Louisiana State University Mark Devlin University of Pennsylvania Holland Ford Johns Hopkins University Jonathan Grindlay Center for Astrophysics / Harvard University James Margitan Jet Propulsion Laboratory Jonathan Ormes University of Denver Carol Raymond Jet Propulsion Laboratory David Rust Applied Physics Laboratory / Johns Hopkins University Eun-Suk Seo University of Maryland - College Park Vernon Jones NASA Headquarters, Executive Secretary Ex Officio: Vladimir Papitashvili NSF/Office of Polar Programs David Pierce NASA/WFF/Balloon Program Office, Chief Debora Fairbrother NASA/WFF/Balloon Program Office, Technology Manager Jack Tueller NASA/GSFC, Balloon Program Project Scientist Louis Barbier NASA/GSFC, Balloon Program Deputy Project Scientist Scientific Ballooning Roadmap Team

6. Scientific ballooning has made important contributions to NASA’s programs, providing access to near-space conditions. Scientific ballooning will continue to contribute significantly to NASA’s strategic objectives. The current balloon program has substantial capability, but funding challenges. To achieve its potential for advancing strategic objectives, three high-priority needs are identified. Looking forward at the next ten to thirty years we envision exciting new possibilities for scientific ballooning. Outline of this Report

7. Boomerang and MAXIMA flights mapped the anisotropies of the Cosmic Microwave Background. Result confirmed the inflation model of the early universe. Cosmic-ray antiprotons were identified. They were shown to be the result of well known cosmic rays colliding with interstellar gas and dust, placing constraints on the kind of supersymmetric particle that makes up the dark matter. Early detections of Gamma-ray lines from SN1987A Positron emission from the Galaxy Black-hole X-ray transients in the galactic center region Balloons observed chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and chlorine monoxide (ClO) radicals in the stratosphere Confirmed the CFC ozone-depletion theory. Ballooning has produced important new science

8. CGRO instruments all developed from balloon-flight instruments. CMB balloon flights in the late 80's and 90's laid the critical ground work for the design of WMAP. Detectors on the RHESSI mission were first developed and demonstrated on balloon-borne instruments. The scintillating fiber trajectory detector on the ACE Cosmic Ray Isotope Spectrometer was demonstrated first in a balloon flight. On the EOS-Aura satellite, the MLS, TES, and HIRDLS instruments all trace their heritage to instruments that first flew on balloons. Balloon missions have contributed in essential ways to scientific spacecraft missions. WMAP RHESSI

9. The Physics of the Universe A Strategic Plan for Federal Research at the Intersection of Physics and Astronomy NASA, NSF, DOE Working Group February 2004 Space Science Enterprise Strategy October 2003 Earth Science Enterprise Strategy October 2003 Structure and Evolution of the Universe Roadmap January 2003 Origins Roadmap October 2002

10. http://science.hq.nasa.gov/strategy/Science_Plan_07.pdf

11. National Academy Decadal Surveys

12. Table 2.1

14. Earth Science: basic questions what are the causes and effects of change (natural and human-induced) for the global Earth system and what are the consequences for human civilization. Planetary Science: questions on origins and evolution and immediate concerns how did the Sun and planets form how did life begin how did the solar system evolve what are the hazards and resources of the solar system environment wrt human presence Heliospheric Physics: understand the Sun and its effects on the Earth Astrophysics: the big questions what is the origin, evolution and fate of the universe, how do planets, stars, galaxies and cosmic structures come into being, how did life arise, and is there life elsewhere. Summary of Table 2.1

15. Test the validity of Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity. Investigate the nature of spacetime through tests of fundamental symmetries (e.g., is the speed of light truly a constant?). Test the inflation hypothesis of the Big Bang. Precisely determine the cosmological parameters governing the evolution of the universe. Improve our knowledge of dark energy, the mysterious cosmic energy that will determine the fate of the universe. Example of Targeted Outcomes by 2017

16. Technology Incubation Supporting Theoretical Research and Modeling Laboratory Astrophysics Ground-Based Observations in Support of NASA Missions Archival Research 7.4.1 Research and Analysis

17. The Suborbital Program, comprising the sounding rocket and high-altitude balloon programs, provides unique opportunities for high-priority science; detector and instrument development; and training of students, engineers, and future PIs. Small standalone space missions like SMEX cost in excess of $100M per project, which requires low risk with a high certainty of science return. Untested technologies and high-risk science need a lower-cost avenue to space. The Suborbital Program provides an opportunity for creativity, ingenuity, and the serendipity that are essential ingredients both in scientific progress and in motivating and training the next generation. Because • of its flexibility, the Suborbital Program produces a steady stream of new instrumentation and new science that leads to new questions and the evolution of new missions. • Helium-filled balloons have the capability to lift multi-ton payloads to altitudes in excess of 120,000 feet for 30-day flights and have demonstrated the capability to launch a 200-kilogram payload to 160,000 feet. A 100-day ultra-long- duration flight capability is being developed. This will provide useful flight opportunities for observing campaigns associated with Beyond Einstein and for multi-wavelength observing campaigns involving correlated spacecraft and ground observations. • Balloon missions are prototyping optics and detectors to extend X-ray and gamma-ray measurements in space to higher energies than are currently possible. CMB balloon flights in the 1970s to the 1990s led directly to the design of COBE and WMAP. Instruments on the Reuven Ramaty High-Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager (RHESSI), ACE, and EOS-Aura space missions all were developed and tested on high-altitude scientific balloon flights. Finally, coded-aperture imagers and position-sensitive gamma-ray detectors developed for hard X-ray and gamma-ray astronomy have found applications to medical imaging and national security. Future balloon launches will be needed to test room-temperature cadmium zinc telluride semiconductor detectors, X-ray focusing optics, megapixel coded-aperture gamma-ray imagers, and fast low-power multichannel electronics for Beyond Einstein’s Con-X and a candidate Black Hole Finder Probe. • The sounding rocket program….

18. 2006 Strategic Plan • Sub-goal 3B: Understand the Sun and its effects on Earth and the solar system. • 3B.1. Progress in understanding the fundamental physical processes of the space environment from the Sun to Earth, to other planets, and beyond to the interstellar medium. • 3B.2. Progress in understanding how human society, technological systems, and the habitability of planets are affected by solar variability and planetary magnetic fields. • 3B.3. Progress in developing the capability to predict the extreme and dynamic conditions in space in order to maximize the safety and productivity of human and robotic explorers. • Sub-goal 3C: Advance scientific knowledge of the solar system, search for evidence of life, and prepare for human exploration. • 3C.1. Progress in learning how the Sun’s family of planets and minor bodies originated and evolved. • 3C.2. Progress in understanding the processes that determine the history and future of habitability in the solar system, including the origin and evolution of Earth’s biosphere and the character and extent of prebiotic chemistry on Mars and other worlds. • 3C.3. Progress in identifying and investigating past or present habitable environments on Mars and other worlds, and determining if there is or ever has been life elsewhere in the solar system. • 3C.4. Progress in exploring the space environment to discover potential hazards to humans and to search for resources that would enable human presence. • Sub-goal 3D: Discover the origin, structure, evolution, and destiny of the universe, and search for Earth-like planets. • 3D.1. Progress in understanding the origin and destiny of the universe, phenomena near black holes, and the nature of gravity. • 3D.2. Progress in understanding how the first stars and galaxies formed, and how they changed over time into the objects recognized in the present universe. • 3D.3. Progress in understanding how individual stars form and how those processes ultimately affect the formation of planetary systems. • 3D.4. Progress in creating a census of extra-solar planets and measuring their properties.

19. “The NASA Balloon Program was critical to my development as a scientist, both in graduate school and as a junior faculty member at Caltech. I can't imagine a better scientific training for experimental space science than the experience of building and launching a science payload on a balloon. You directly experience all the important steps: design to cost, schedule, weight, and power constraints; quality control and risk management; field operations; and reduction and analysis of data. The impact of the NASA Balloon Program goes far beyond the demonstration of technology and the direct science data that are produced - thescientists who ‘cut their teeth’ in the NASA Balloon Program are very often the leaders of today's NASA space science missions and programs.” Ballooning Contributions to NASA Strategic Objectives Strategic Roadmap #12 Thomas A. Prince Caltech Prof. of Physics JPL Chief Scientist LISA Mission Scientist

20. “In my career as a scientist, astronaut, and as NASA's Chief Scientist, I often reflect back on the strength of the foundation upon which I was trained. As an undergraduate and as a graduate student I had the great fortune to perform experiments in high-energy astrophysics using high altitude balloons as a platform for access to space. The NASA scientific ballooning program provided me with the complete and quintessential scientific experience, going from concept to hardware, observations, and scientific analysis of the results. All in the time frame of a few years. The rich environment that NASA's sub-orbital program supports not only enables top quality science, but is also crucial as a training ground for the scientists who will be the principal investigators of tomorrow.” Ballooning Contributions to NASA Strategic Objectives Strategic Roadmap #12 John M. Grunsfeld Astronaut (Until a few months ago, NASA Chief Scientist)

21. Following is a quote from the report of the National Academy's Committee to Assess Progress Toward the Decadal Vision in Astronomy and Astrophysics dated February 11, 2005: "Instrument builders are particularly critical to the health of the field. Without the next generation of instrumentalists, practical knowledge about how to work in endangered technical areas (such as high-energy astrophysics) will be lost, greatly reducing the probability of success and diminishing U.S. leadership." In light of the comments by Prince and Grunsfeld, and similar experience of many other leading scientists in NASA programs, this statement by the Academy committee further underscores the importance of the balloon program.

22. Conclusions Ballooning is alive and well. Ballooning is in the NASA strategic plans. There is never enough money. Go for it!!

23. Theme 5: “Birth of the Universe Using Cosmic Microwave Background” “Measurement of the portion of the polarization of the CMB that was caused by primordial gravitational waves offers great promise for understanding the inflationary period of the universe.” “Ground-based and balloon-borne experiments provide initial data to advance and constrain cosmological models, and play a key role in developing detectors and techniques for space-based CMB polarization measurements.” Planned balloon instruments PAPPA, EBEX, TPX, BLAST Will themselves make important measurements of CMB or foreground. Are vital for developing and proving techniques for future satellite-borne investigations of CMB polarization. Ballooning Contributions to NASA Strategic Objectives The Physics of the Universe – February 2004

24. Theme 7: “High Energy Cosmic Ray Physics” “DOE, NSF, and NASA are developing a coordinated broad program of ground-, balloon-, and space-based facilities to study the highest energy messengers from the universe and the particle acceleration processes that produce them.” The ANITA instrument will detect neutrinos with energy above 1018 eV interacting in the Antarctic ice. Collisions of the highest-energy cosmic rays with the CMB must produce neutrinos with energy of the order of 1017-19 eV. Balloons offer a unique capability at these energies, not achievable with either ground-based instruments or instruments in spacecraft, of monitoring a million square kilometers of Antarctic ice for the bursts of coherent GHz radio emission coming from the electromagnetic cascade that develops when a neutrino interacts with the ice. Ballooning Contributions to NASA Strategic Objectives The Physics of the Universe – February 2004

25. Strategic objective 5.11 – “Learn what happens to space, time, and matter at the edge of a black hole.” “Constellation-X will greatly extend our capability for high-resolution X-ray spectroscopy.” SEU Roadmap “Beyond Einstein” January 2003 re Constellation-X: “… key areas of technology, including … CdZnTe detectors for hard X-rays.” Balloon investigations supporting developments for Constellation-X: HERO, InFOCuS, HEFT Ballooning Contributions to NASA Strategic Objectives Space Science Enterprise Strategy – October 2003 Constellation-X

26. Objective 5.11 (continued) (edge of black holes) “A black hole finder Einstein probe will perform the first all-sky imaging census of accreting black holes.” SEU Roadmap “Beyond Einstein” January 2003 re black hole finder probe: “A CdZnTe detector array seems the most likely candidate, but there remain technical challenges.” Planned balloon-borne instrument (ProtoEXIST) will further develop technology for large area arrays of CdZnTe imaging detectors and test scanning coded aperture imaging in a space-like environment. Ballooning Contributions to NASA Strategic Objectives Space Science Enterprise Strategy – October 2003

27. Strategic objective 5.12 – “Understand the development of structure and the cycles of matter and energy in the evolving universe.” “For the most massive stars, the end comes as a supernova: the stellar core collapses … releasing vast quantities of energy.” SEU Roadmap January 2003: “Radioactive elements are formed in detonation and core collapse supernovae, … An advanced Compton telescope [ACT] that can see the radiation from these radioactive decays can be used to study the explosion mechanisms in core-collapse supernovae.” Balloon-borne Compton telescopes (NCT, TIGRE, MEGA, LXeGRIT) will advance such studies and will form the basis for a satellite-borne ACT. Ballooning Contributions to NASA Strategic Objectives Space Science Enterprise Strategy – October 2003

28. Objective 5.12 (cont’d) (cycles of matter and energy) “For the most massive stars, the end comes as a supernova: the stellar core collapses releasing vast quantities of energy. This energy … is believed to be responsible for cosmic rays.” SEU Roadmap January 2003: “A Mission designed to measure the composition of these cosmic rays [near 1015 eV] will explore their connection to supernovae by identifying these high energy nuclei.” Balloon-borne instruments (ATIC, TRACER, CREAM) pushing knowledge of cosmic-ray composition toward energies where spectral structure is predicted by models of SN-shock acceleration. Ballooning Contributions to NASA Strategic Objectives Space Science Enterprise Strategy – October 2003 Dec 16, 2004 – Jan 27, 2005

29. Strategic objective 5.8 – “Learn how galaxies, stars, and planets form and evolve.” “We intend to investigate how the diversity of galaxies in today’s universe emerged … We will learn how the life cycle of stars creates the chemical elements needed for planets and life …” Origins Roadmap October 2002: “balloon or Shuttle-borne payloads produce cutting-edge science. … Such flights not only help to develop state-of-the-art technology, but also constitute a high yield investment in human capital.” High resolution images from the Hubble Space Telescope have revolutionized our view of the Universe. High-altitude balloons could provide a low cost platform for Hubble-quality high contrast and high resolution wide fieldimaging in the decade following the end of the Hubble mission. Ballooning Contributions to NASA Strategic Objectives Space Science Enterprise Strategy – October 2003

30. Strategic objective 1.3 – “Understand the origins and societal impacts of variability in the Sun-Earth connection” “On longer time scales, human society has a real need to understand the role of solar variability in global changes in the Earth’s atmosphere and space climate.” A two to four week Antarctic flight of the Solar Bolometric Imager during the next sunspot minimum in 2007 will establish the baseline for irradiance variations in the near absence of magnetic fields. It will also test new technology for eventual flight in a decade-long space mission to map all possible sources of solar brightness variation over a complete solar cycle. Other balloon missions: Flare Genesis Sunrise Ballooning Contributions to NASA Strategic Objectives Space Science Enterprise Strategy – October 2003

31. Strategic objective 5.6 – “Understand the changing flow of energy and matter throughout the Sun, heliosphere, and planetary environments.” “At one end of the causal chain, we have questions about the structure and dynamics of the Sun, its corona and solar wind, and the origins of magnetic changes in the Sun.” “Understanding how magnetospheres and atmospheres respond to both internal and external influences …” Balloon-borne solar telescopes will determine the conditions that cause heating of the solar chromosphere and produce emission of many of the strongest lines and continua in the solar EUV spectrum. Balloon-borne instruments could observe dayside aurora. Ballooning Contributions to NASA Strategic Objectives Space Science Enterprise Strategy – October 2003

32. Strategic objective 5.1 – “Learn how the solar system originated and evolved into its current diverse state.” “Comprehensive comparative studies of the atmospheric chemistry, dynamics, and surface-atmosphere interactions on Mars and Venus will yield insight into the evolutionary paths these planets followed and their implications for Earth.” Collection of in-situ atmospheric data and high-resolution geological, geochemical and geophysical data is best done by an aerial platform. The Russian-French-US VEGA mission to Venus in 1985 successfully deployed two balloons in the dense Venus atmosphere for about two Earth days and collected in-situ data there. Ballooning Contributions to NASA Strategic Objectives Space Science Enterprise Strategy – October 2003 Artist’s concept of super-pressure balloon on Mars Artist’s concept of a Venus deep atmosphere balloon Artist’s concept of an aerobot at Titan

33. Strategic question #2: “How will future changes in atmospheric composition affect ozone and climate?” Atmospheric Composition Roadmap: “Systematic measurement of ozone, aerosols, and trace gases … Assessment of potential for future major Arctic ozone depletion … Evaluation of feedbacks among stratospheric and tropospheric ozone, water vapor, aerosols, and climate.” Balloons complement Earth observing satellites by providing in situ validation. Balloons provide observations of detailed processes on much finer spatial and temporal scales than satellites. Arctic winter flights could probe detailed microphysical processes leading to polar stratospheric clouds, which cannot be resolved from space. Trajectory-controlled, long-duration tropical flights could resolve spatial and temporal processes controlling cross-tropopause transport, which cannot be resolved by space-based remote sensing instruments. Ballooning Contributions to NASA Strategic Objectives Earth Science Enterprise Strategy – October 2003

34. NASA Roadmap #12: “Use NASA missions and other activities to inspire and motivate the nation’s students and teachers, to engage and educate the public, and to advance the scientific and technological capabilities of the nation.” In fact many of the scientists with leading roles in NASA programs were trained in the balloon program. Quotes from two of them follow. Ballooning Contributions to NASA Strategic Objectives Strategic Roadmaps List (October 2004 draft)

35. 6 – 16 conventional flights/year ~ 1-day, from Palestine TX, Ft. Sumner NM, or Lynn Lake Canada Two polar Long-Duration Balloon (LDB) campaigns/year 2 LDB flights/year from McMurdo, Antarctica, 10 - 15 days (up to 30 - 40) 2 LDB flights/year from Kiruna, Sweden to Canada or Alaska, ~7 days Subject to approval for over-flight of Russia, these could be around-the-world flights for ~20 days and the launch could be from Fairbanks, Alaska One mid-latitude LDB campaign/year 2 LDB flights between Alice Springs, Australia & S. America, ~10 days Within safety constraints, these could be around-the-world flights, ~20 days Thru FY07 one foreign campaign/year is cancelled to pay for Antarctic facilities upgrades. Development of super-pressure balloon 1-ton instrument >110 kft by FY07 100-day flight goal (Ultra Long Duration Balloon, ULDB) Little or no day/night altitude variation Capability of the Current Balloon Program

36. The end

37. Ballooning is alive and well Ballooning is in the NASA strategic plans There is never enough money Go for it!!

38. Backup Charts

39. Antarctic LDB program was proposed after the Challenger accident to help offset loss of Shuttle/Spacelab. FY89 NASA budget was augmented for ops and science payloads. NASA/SS & NSF/OPP signed open-ended MOU in 1988. “One campaign about every other year” – but has averaged ~2 flts/yr NASA/SZ & NSF/OPP 2003 MOA extending to March 2009 1 - 2 Flights per Year, with Possibility of Adding 3rd Flight NASA, with NSF, will upgrade LDB facilities at Williams Field. NASA would pay incremental costs for adding a third flight each season. Capability of the Current Balloon ProgramAntarctic Long Duration Ballooning (LDB)“Jewel in the Crown of the Balloon Program” TIGER trajectory Dec 21, 2001 – Jan 21, 2002

40. ~$25M/yr to Balloon Program Office to support operations and technology development. BPO plans given this budget make sense, so we do not recommend any significant changes. However, the funding level is barely adequate. ~$15M/yr from SR&T to scientists for developing missions and analyzing their data. There are many balloon-borne missions that will advance key elements of NASA strategic plans -- more than will fit into the current budget! This roadmap team has not attempted to prioritize among them. Strengths of the balloon program are that Its science is selected by peer review (like Explorers). It gives opportunity for new ideas, not foreseen in strategic plan. Recommendations under current fundingThe current funding comes in two parts:

41. New programs needing this: Polarization of Cosmic Microwave Background Detection of neutrinos with energy > 1018 eV High sensitivity spectroscopy and survey imaging of black holes in advance of Beyond Einstein missions Con-X and Black Hole Finder Probe. Others will surely use the capability also. Program and technology developments to support this: Additional infrastructure and program cost to enable three Antarctic flts/yr Dedicated aircraft in Antarctica to help assure timely instrument recovery LDB flight capability for three flights per year from Arctic Trajectory Modification to meet safety and environmental restrictions Keep Antarctic trajectory over the continent even after two or three circuits Ensure that mid-latitude flights do not fly over densely populated areas This is critical technology for ULDB flights of 100 days or more High-Priority Need for Scientific BallooningIncreased Capability for Long-Duration flights

42. Required for gamma-ray and hard X-ray investigations of the “Beyond Einstein” program. Data from balloon-borne instruments will begin to address the scientific objectives of “Beyond Einstein”. Balloon-borne instruments will be essential for development and testing of new technology for Constellation-X, Black Hole Finder Probe, Advanced Compton Telescope. These investigations require Altitude 125 kft desired, 120 kft minimum, for 1-ton instrument Long duration, at least ten days at these altitudes Low cosmic-ray background, by flying at mid-latitude. Program and technology developments to support this: Extension of current ULDB development, which will take 1-ton instrument to >110 kft about two years from now. Substantially lighter-weight support instrumentation ~ 50% increase in balloon volume High-Priority Need for Scientific Ballooning High-Altitude (125 kft) Super-Pressure Balloon

43. Balloon payloads would be highly competitive for UNEX. LDB missions were reviewed favorably in the 1997 UNEX solicitation. With a now proven LDB capability, LDB missions would be even more competitive today. ULDB missions would also be very competitive once the super-pressure balloons are successfully demonstrated. Currently balloon payloads are solicited in the ROSES NRA’s . Payloads capable of achieving the highest priority science are too expensive for SR&T budgets (Cost ~ SMEX/4). LDB Missions are solicited as Missions of Opportunity. One LDB Mission (ANITA) was selected for Phase-A Concept Study, but it was not selected for further Explorer funding. There is no clear mandate to evaluate science/$ for Explorer. Most balloon missions cannot compete with full size Explorer science. Frequent UNEX AO's would provide better, more reliable support for both balloon missions and Missions of Opportunity. High-Priority Need for Scientific Ballooning Issue a UNEX AO under current Explorer guidelines.

44. Flights of 1-ton instruments at extremely high altitudes with less than 1 mb residual atmosphere (above 160 kft) Enables solar UV research on magnetic transition zone and improves solar irradiance source imaging by including the UV Enables much improved X-ray, gamma-ray, cosmic-ray studies. 160 kft with 450 lb science instrument has been demonstrated. Advanced trajectory control, large aerostats capable of station keeping and/or tethered balloons Enable Earth observations on spatial and temporal scales that satellites cannot, complementing global satellite observations Could fly to desired location from any convenient launch/recovery site. ~70 kft, enable atmospheric studies, geophysical monitoring, and serve as a platform for optical telescopes free of most of the atmospheric “seeing” ~130 kft, serve as a platformfor optical telescopes comparable to Hubble Balloons capable of deployment elsewhere in the Solar System – Venus, Mars, Titan Atmospheric studies Close monitoring of ground Long-term (10 – 30 year) vision for scientific ballooning

45. Scientific ballooning has made important contributions. Science results from balloon flights Instrument development for satellite missions Scientific ballooning will contribute to NASA’s objectives. Physics of the Universe, Space Science Strategy, Earth Science Strategy The current balloon program has substantial capability, but Funding for the the Balloon Program Office is barely adequate. Funding under SR&T for new instruments is inadequate. High-priority needs have been identified. Increased capability for long-duration balloon (LDB) flights High-altitude (125 kft) ULDB A restored UNEX program to provide a reliable funding source and enable new science capability. There are exciting new possibilities for the next 10 to 30 years. Flights at 160 kft (less than 1 mb residual atmosphere) Advanced trajectory control and large aerostats Balloons capable of deployment on Venus, Mars, Titan Summary

46. Objectives of the Balloon Roadmap Exercise • Explain why the Balloon Program is important to NASA. • Identify the scientific objectives for which ballooning has the greatest potential to contribute significantly, and show their connection to NAS reports, NASA strategic objectives, or other planning documents. • Identify the ballooning requirements for optimal and minimal programs, both in the near term and over the next 10 - 15 years. • Recommend a program that fits into current funding, and identify the impacts of such a program. • Identify the highest priority augmentations and their science impacts. • Tentative Balloon Roadmap Schedule • Workshop 10 – 12 August 2004 • Viewgraph Presentation to SEUS/OS November 2004 • Final written report by March 2005

47. NASA Balloon Flights Per Fiscal Year 1990-2003 Average Float Hours Per Flight 1990-2003 Mission Trends(All NASA Scientific Balloon Flights) Fewer flights Longer duration missions