NASA/TM—2016-218870 Planetary Balloon-Based Science Platform Evaluation and Program Implementation Final Report John W. Dankanich Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Alabama Tibor Kremic Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, Ohio Karl Hibbitts The Johns Hopkins University, Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, Maryland Eliot F. Young Southwest Research Institute, Boulder, Colorado Rob Landis National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Washington, D.C. March 2016 NASA STI Program . in Profi le Since its founding, NASA has been dedicated • CONTRACTOR REPORT. Scientifi c and to the advancement of aeronautics and space science. technical fi ndings by NASA-sponsored The NASA Scientifi c and Technical Information (STI) contractors and grantees. Program plays a key part in helping NASA maintain this important role. • CONFERENCE PUBLICATION. 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Dankanich Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Alabama Tibor Kremic Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, Ohio Karl Hibbitts The Johns Hopkins University, Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, Maryland Eliot F. Young Southwest Research Institute, Boulder, Colorado Rob Landis National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Washington, D.C. National Aeronautics and Space Administration Glenn Research Center Cleveland, Ohio 44135 March 2016 Trade names and trademarks are used in this report for identifi cation only. Their usage does not constitute an offi cial endorsement, either expressed or implied, by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Level of Review: This material has been technically reviewed by technical management. Available from NASA STI Program National Technical Information Service Mail Stop 148 5285 Port Royal Road NASA Langley Research Center Springfi eld, VA 22161 Hampton, VA 23681-2199 703-605-6000 This report is available in electronic form at http://www.sti.nasa.gov/ and http://ntrs.nasa.gov/ Contents 1.0 Executive Summary .............................................................................................................................................. 1 2.0 Study Overview .................................................................................................................................................... 3 2.1 Purpose ........................................................................................................................................................ 3 2.2 Goals and Objectives ................................................................................................................................... 3 2.3 Internal Participants ..................................................................................................................................... 3 2.4 External Participants .................................................................................................................................... 4 3.0 Science Objectives and Traceability ..................................................................................................................... 4 3.1 Science Rationale for Balloon Based Planetary Science Observations ....................................................... 4 3.2 Relevance of Balloons to Planetary Decadal Survey Cross-Cutting Themes and Priority Questions ......... 5 3.2.1 Top Priority Questions ..................................................................................................................... 5 3.3 Decadal Survey Traceability........................................................................................................................ 8 3.3.1 Primitive Bodies Focus .................................................................................................................... 8 3.3.2 Inner Planets .................................................................................................................................. 10 3.3.3 Mars ............................................................................................................................................... 10 3.3.4 The Giant Planets........................................................................................................................... 10 3.3.5 Satellites ........................................................................................................................................ 10 3.4 Science Drivers and Architectures ............................................................................................................. 14 3.4.1 Architecture (DRM) 1 (0.5 m Class, ~1 arcsec Pointing) ............................................................. 15 3.4.2 DRM 2 (1 m Class, ~1 arcsec Pointing) ........................................................................................ 15 3.4.3 DRM 3 (1 m Class, ~0.1 arcsec Pointing) ..................................................................................... 16 3.4.4 DRM 4 (1 m Class, ~0.01 arcsec Pointing) ................................................................................... 16 3.4.5 DRM 5 (2 m Class, ~0.1 arcsec Pointing) ..................................................................................... 17 3.4.6 DRM 6 (2 m Class, ~0.01 arcsec Pointing) ................................................................................... 18 3.5 Comparison with other Assets ................................................................................................................... 18 3.5.1 Keck ............................................................................................................................................... 19 3.5.2 Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) ........................................................ 19 3.5.3 Hubble Space Telescope (HST) ..................................................................................................... 19 3.5.4 Cost Comparison ........................................................................................................................... 19 4.0 System Requirements and Implementation Trades ............................................................................................. 20 4.1 Performance Requirements ........................................................................................................................ 20 4.1.1 Imaging at 0.3 to 1.0 µm................................................................................................................ 21 4.1.2 Spectroscopy at 2.5 to 5 µm .......................................................................................................... 23 4.1.3 Optical Bench ................................................................................................................................ 23 4.1.4 Pointing Reference Signal ............................................................................................................. 25 4.1.5 Telescope Options ......................................................................................................................... 27 5.0 Existing Gondola Subsystems and Demonstrated Mission Capabilities ............................................................. 31 5.1 Balloons ..................................................................................................................................................... 31 5.1.1 Zero-Pressure Balloons