2.5.4 Raven Aerostar
Raven Aerostar located in Sioux Falls, SD has been manufacturing many types
of stratospheric balloons for NASA for decades. They provide total support to
many commercial entities involving many balloon types. These include the very
largest of ZPB and SPB, as well as those provided to Loon and others. The typical Loon balloon is made of polyethylene plastic that is about 3 mils (0.0030 in)
thick. The balloon really consists of a balloon within a balloon; the inner filled
with helium and the outer filled with varying amounts of air in order to adjust
for altitude. The overall dimensions when fully inflated are typically 15 m (49
ft) across and 12 m (39 ft) tall, giving it the “pumpkin” shape. The overall weight
of the balloon and payload is only about 150 kg (330 lb). This is relatively small
compared to SPBs used for much heavier science payloads. See Section 5.4 for
further details.
See also Chapter 7 for descriptions of some of the very large scientific balloons,
some of which could swallow a large football stadium.
2.5.5 Near Space Corporation
This relatively new corporation is based at the Tillamook Airport in Oregon. It is
a full service company offering balloon design, manufacturing, launch, and flight
operations at their test range. It has the necessary tooling and equipment to build
custom balloons and inflatable articles optimized for the specific mission. It can
also prototype a balloon for a customer utilizing a wide variety of materials and
methods. With an extensive range of custom in-house sealers, sewing machines,
and testing equipment, NSC can rapidly construct and test specialized inflatables
and balloons. See Section 5.5.
2.5.6 International and Other Corporations
Others supporting stratospheric balloon programs use balloons supplied by the
commercial companies or their country’s agency; for example ISTAR, Zero to
Infinity, Stratobus and others. See Chapter 5 for details.
IMAGE LINKS
Fig. 2.1 https://sites.wff.nasa.gov/code820/images/charts/Balloon_types.jpg
Fig. 2.2 https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/thumbnails/image/img_3578_sto- 2_balloon_on_ice_0.jpg
Fig 2.3 https://www.researchgate.net/profile/W_Binns/publication/45906348/figure/fig4/AS:668900941365270@1536489820871/The- ANITA- IIpayload- on- ascent- with- the- lower- eight- horn- antennas- deployed- The- payload.png
Fig. 2.4 https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/- IsazamfZfikzhoTKZGvMMfIncU6eQsnDypQqn_7DJWiqe67NIca9evJHWSebCdMkAU9xw=s85
Fig. 2.5 https://sites.wff.nasa.gov/code820/images/supporting_images/spb_in_space.jpg
Fig. 2.6 https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/m07IjF3VIUvo1X579G3bzKjrRYS3ce6b5jWYJGAUMWX5f8US3IVs1eh- u03uocvfV7mmuA=s85
Fig. 2.7
Fig. 2.8 https://62e528761d0685343e1c- f3d1b99a743ffa4142d9d7f1978d9686.ssl.cf2.rackcdn.com/files/83486/width668/image- 20150601- 17832- 169yrey.jpg
Fig. 2.9 Graphic showing the ATIC team and their experiments.
https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archivo:ATIC_closeup.jpg
2.5 Commercial Stratospheric Balloons 27
Raven Aerostar located in Sioux Falls, SD has been manufacturing many types
of stratospheric balloons for NASA for decades. They provide total support to
many commercial entities involving many balloon types. These include the very
largest of ZPB and SPB, as well as those provided to Loon and others. The typical Loon balloon is made of polyethylene plastic that is about 3 mils (0.0030 in)
thick. The balloon really consists of a balloon within a balloon; the inner filled
with helium and the outer filled with varying amounts of air in order to adjust
for altitude. The overall dimensions when fully inflated are typically 15 m (49
ft) across and 12 m (39 ft) tall, giving it the “pumpkin” shape. The overall weight
of the balloon and payload is only about 150 kg (330 lb). This is relatively small
compared to SPBs used for much heavier science payloads. See Section 5.4 for
further details.
See also Chapter 7 for descriptions of some of the very large scientific balloons,
some of which could swallow a large football stadium.
2.5.5 Near Space Corporation
This relatively new corporation is based at the Tillamook Airport in Oregon. It is
a full service company offering balloon design, manufacturing, launch, and flight
operations at their test range. It has the necessary tooling and equipment to build
custom balloons and inflatable articles optimized for the specific mission. It can
also prototype a balloon for a customer utilizing a wide variety of materials and
methods. With an extensive range of custom in-house sealers, sewing machines,
and testing equipment, NSC can rapidly construct and test specialized inflatables
and balloons. See Section 5.5.
2.5.6 International and Other Corporations
Others supporting stratospheric balloon programs use balloons supplied by the
commercial companies or their country’s agency; for example ISTAR, Zero to
Infinity, Stratobus and others. See Chapter 5 for details.
IMAGE LINKS
Fig. 2.1 https://sites.wff.nasa.gov/code820/images/charts/Balloon_types.jpg
Fig. 2.2 https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/thumbnails/image/img_3578_sto- 2_balloon_on_ice_0.jpg
Fig 2.3 https://www.researchgate.net/profile/W_Binns/publication/45906348/figure/fig4/AS:668900941365270@1536489820871/The- ANITA- IIpayload- on- ascent- with- the- lower- eight- horn- antennas- deployed- The- payload.png
Fig. 2.4 https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/- IsazamfZfikzhoTKZGvMMfIncU6eQsnDypQqn_7DJWiqe67NIca9evJHWSebCdMkAU9xw=s85
Fig. 2.5 https://sites.wff.nasa.gov/code820/images/supporting_images/spb_in_space.jpg
Fig. 2.6 https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/m07IjF3VIUvo1X579G3bzKjrRYS3ce6b5jWYJGAUMWX5f8US3IVs1eh- u03uocvfV7mmuA=s85
Fig. 2.7
Fig. 2.8 https://62e528761d0685343e1c- f3d1b99a743ffa4142d9d7f1978d9686.ssl.cf2.rackcdn.com/files/83486/width668/image- 20150601- 17832- 169yrey.jpg
Fig. 2.9 Graphic showing the ATIC team and their experiments.
https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archivo:ATIC_closeup.jpg
2.5 Commercial Stratospheric Balloons 27