A configuration has been developed for a long-life balloon platform to carry pointing telescopes weighing as much as 80 pounds (36 kg) to point at selected celestial targets. A platform of this configuration weighs about 375 pounds (170 kg) gross and can be suspended from a high altitude super pressure balloon for a lifetime of several months. The balloon platform contains a solar array and storage batteries for electrical power, up and down link communications equipment, and navigational and attitude control systems for orienting the scientific instrument. A biaxial controller maintains the telescope attitude in response to look-angle data stored in an on-board computer memory which is updated periodically by ground command. Gimbal angles are computed by using location data derived by an on-board navigational receiver.
Balloon platform for extended-life astronomy research
01.11.1974
Aufsatz (Konferenz)
Keine Angabe
Englisch
Balloon infrared astronomy platform (BIRAP)
NTRS | 1974
|NTRS | 1967
|AIAA | 1967
|AIAA | 1966
|Gamma Ray Astronomy Balloon Results
NTIS | 1969
|