I-Corps: Sub-orbital Ballooning System (SBS) for Earth and Space Observations, Meteorological Applications, and Scientific Studies

I-Corps项目更广泛的影响/商业潜力是开发一个用于地球和空间观测、气象应用和科学研究的亚轨道气球系统。目前，进入该地区的唯一途径是通过火箭，这不允许超过几分钟的访问。 拟议的技术可以消除长期进入中间层亚轨道区域的障碍，并允许以低于目前亚轨道发射成本50%的成本提供气球有效载荷发射支持。此外，拟议的技术可能会加强为科学研究、探索和安全目的对中间层的利用。据估计，拟议的系统可以为电信服务提供商节省100万美元/sq.km/y的资本支出和200万美元/sq.km/y的运营支出，使其在下一代网络（5G/6 G）的广泛覆盖范围内降低成本。此外，所提出的技术可以满足私营部门的遥感和技术演示需求以及通信和持续监视的军事需求，以及联邦机构、学术界和科学界更好地了解中间层及其对地球的影响的需求，否则使用现有的火箭或高空气球技术是不可行的。该技术的一个目标是实现低成本的太空探索，这将为许多今天由于技术限制和成本限制而无法进入太空的人打开大门，加速太空探索。这个I-Corps项目是基于开发用于地球和空间观测、气象应用和科学研究的亚轨道气球系统。该技术利用了气球技术的进步，结合了以前关于通过能量和质量转移控制尺寸的研究，以达到整个中间层的更高高度，并达到空间边缘（冯卡门线）。人工智能（AI）动力系统旨在感知环境，了解气球运输需求，并满足能源需求，促进气球信封的充气或放气。这种能力使得能够在不使气球爆裂的情况下升高或降低气球的高度。所提出的技术可进行精确的高度控制，从而能够长时间进入亚轨道区域。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is the development of a sub-orbital ballooning system for Earth and space observations, meteorological applications, and scientific studies. Currently, the only way to access this region is via rocketry, which does not allow more than a few minutes of access. The proposed technology may remove the hurdles in accessing the mesospheric sub-orbital region for a prolonged duration and allow balloon-based payload launch support at a cost less than 50% of the current sub-orbital launch costs. In addition, the proposed technology may intensify the exploitation of mesosphere for scientific research, exploration, and security purposes. It is estimated that the proposed system may save $1M/sq.km/y in capital expenses and $2M/sq.km/y in operational expenses for telecommunication service providers, making them lower-cost with wide coverage for next generation networks (5G/6G). In addition, the proposed technology may fulfill the remote sensing and technology demonstration needs of the private sector and military needs for communication and persistent surveillance, as well as the needs of federal agencies, academia, and the scientific community in better understanding the mesosphere and its effects on the Earth, which otherwise is not feasible using existing technologies of rocketry or high-altitude ballooning. A goal for the technology is to enable low-cost space exploration that will open doors to many who have no access to space today due to technological limitations and cost constraints, accelerating space exploration.This I-Corps project is based on the development of a sub-orbital ballooning system for Earth and space observations, meteorological applications, and scientific studies. The technology leverages advancement in ballooning technology by incorporating previous research on size control by energy and mass transfer to reach higher altitudes throughout the mesosphere and up to the edge of space (von Kármán line). The artificial intelligence (AI) powered system is designed to sense the environment, understand the ballooning transport needs, and fulfil energy demands facilitating the inflation or deflation of the balloon envelop. This capability enables the raising or lowering of the balloon’s altitude without bursting the balloon. The proposed technology performs precise altitude control that enables access to the sub-orbital region for prolonged durations. The proposed technology was designed to address the technology gap and market needs followed by proof-of-concept demonstrations on scaled prototypes.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.