Expendable Air Vehicles/High Altitude Balloon Technology. Phase 1.
Abstract
The development of a digital computer simulation for high altitude, scientific balloon drift pattern prediction is described. Provision is made for the use of either wind forecast data or a worldwide, empirical atmospheric data base. The program operates on a Macintosh computer and produces on-screen drift patterns which may be imported into commercially available graphics programs for annotation and/or printing. The report includes a listing of the FORTRAN source code for the program. DARPA is interested in exploiting high-altitude, expendable balloon borne communication and surveillance capabilities for military applications. Balloons offer several unique capabilities when high altitude balloon technologies are integrated with payloads employing the power efficient, light weight electronic technologies available today. The first technical objective to be met was the development of a suitable atmosphere model for use within BDPS. Since BDPS was intended to be used as a deployment tool, the atmosphere model was of critical importance because the wind would have the most significant impact on balloon motion.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 02, 1991
- Accession Number
- ADA240827