Their market is focused on long duration flights using a proprietary sky anchor
system that employs supplemental super-pressure balloons for altitude control.
Their target locations are in the mid-latitudes.
8.2.3 Support Services and Equipment
Raven Industries/Aerostar
Raven is the most accomplished and successful balloon business because it has
been in the business right from the start and its corporate capabilities are so allencompassing that it can act as a sole source provider of services. In addition to
U.S. government agencies including NASA, the Air Force and DARPA, Raven
supports commercial corporations such as Loon, World View Enterprises, and others involved in stratospheric flights. It can support a variety of engineering efforts
ranging from being prime contractor and system integrator to designing missionspecific components for integration with existing systems. Today, the multidisciplinary engineering team can provide expertise in sensor technology, airborne
system design, and command and control. Their business covers many types of
balloons and associated services such as:
• Thunderhead Balloon System.
• Lightning Balloon System.
• Sounding Balloons.
• HiSentinel airship.
• Payload recovery parachutes.
• HiPointer and Vista Radar Systems.
As long as there is a ballooning industry for science and commerce, Raven will be
a successful business.
8.3 NASA/WFF/CSBF
The primary objective of the NASA Balloon Program is to provide high altitude
platforms for scientific and technological investigations, including fundamental
scientific discoveries that contribute to our understanding of the Earth, the solar
system, and the universe.
Scientific balloons also provide a platform for the demonstration of promising
new instrument and spacecraft technologies which will enable (or enhance) the
strategic plans of the Science Mission Directorate. Certainly over many decades
the NASA Balloon Program and its support for scientific missions has played a
major role in generating cutting-edge science at modest cost, advancing related
192 Accomplishments
system that employs supplemental super-pressure balloons for altitude control.
Their target locations are in the mid-latitudes.
8.2.3 Support Services and Equipment
Raven Industries/Aerostar
Raven is the most accomplished and successful balloon business because it has
been in the business right from the start and its corporate capabilities are so allencompassing that it can act as a sole source provider of services. In addition to
U.S. government agencies including NASA, the Air Force and DARPA, Raven
supports commercial corporations such as Loon, World View Enterprises, and others involved in stratospheric flights. It can support a variety of engineering efforts
ranging from being prime contractor and system integrator to designing missionspecific components for integration with existing systems. Today, the multidisciplinary engineering team can provide expertise in sensor technology, airborne
system design, and command and control. Their business covers many types of
balloons and associated services such as:
• Thunderhead Balloon System.
• Lightning Balloon System.
• Sounding Balloons.
• HiSentinel airship.
• Payload recovery parachutes.
• HiPointer and Vista Radar Systems.
As long as there is a ballooning industry for science and commerce, Raven will be
a successful business.
8.3 NASA/WFF/CSBF
The primary objective of the NASA Balloon Program is to provide high altitude
platforms for scientific and technological investigations, including fundamental
scientific discoveries that contribute to our understanding of the Earth, the solar
system, and the universe.
Scientific balloons also provide a platform for the demonstration of promising
new instrument and spacecraft technologies which will enable (or enhance) the
strategic plans of the Science Mission Directorate. Certainly over many decades
the NASA Balloon Program and its support for scientific missions has played a
major role in generating cutting-edge science at modest cost, advancing related
192 Accomplishments