CubeSounder: Flying a Novel 3D Weather Imaging Sensor on a High-Altitude Balloon

The CubeSounder: Flying a Novel 3D Weather Imaging Sensor on a High-Altitude Balloon demonstration will mature a low SWaP-C (size, weight, and power-cost) microwave sounding technology to improve weather forecasting.Through two flights on a high-altitude balloon from World View Enterprises, this novel millimeter-wave filter bank technology will collect three-dimensional images of atmospheric temperature and humidity. Data collected during the flights will be used to validate performance at high-altitudes and ultimately address limitations of current mixer sensors.

Problem Statement Weather forecasting requires consistent collection of global temperature and humidity data. Current weather satellite sensors rely on high-SWaP-C components that are difficult to replace. CubeSounder allows for state-of-the-art atmospheric sounding capabilities to be integrated into CubeSats, which would allow for significant improvements in weather forecasting accuracy, as well as the more efficient deployment of weather sensing technology.

Technology Maturation Maturing this low-SWAP-C technology will fill an important weather forecasting need as many current U.S. weather satellites reach the end of their service lives. The CubeSounder high-altitude balloon flight will advance sensor capabilities that are lower cost, provide more spectral channels, and a higher level of stability. Having already demonstrated functionality in a lab setting, flight testing will advance the TRL of the millimeter-wave filter bank technology from TRL 4 to 6. 

Summary of Flight Test
2021-10-06 The NASA-supported CubeSounder mission just completed its first test flight of a novel weather imaging payload. On the morning of October 6th, 2021, World View Enterprises launched the CubeSounder payload along with several other payloads on their Stratollite vehicle on a high-altitude balloon from their launch pad in Tucson, Arizona. After a successful ascent the flight ended later that day. This was shorter than the expected flight duration, but the vehicle landed successfully, and the payload has been recovered to the World View facility in Tucson. The CubeSounder team hopes to retrieve the data stored on the recovered payload to support preparations already underway to enhance the payload for a second test flight in 2022. Each test flight is a key step on the path towards commercializing the CubeSounder technology.
2022-04-08 The NASA-supported CubeSounder mission just completed a test flight of a novel weather imaging payload. On the morning of April 9th, 2022, World View Enterprises launched the CubeSounder payload along with other payloads on their Stratollite vehicle on a high-altitude balloon from their launch pad in Tucson, Arizona. The flight lasted over 100 hours on a flight path that traversed several states before terminating in Nebraska. Despite some damage to the payload due to a challenging launch and landing, data taken in flight shows promising sensor performance. We are continuing to analyze the flight data to prepare for our next test flight with an improved payload. Each test flight is a key step on the path towards commercializing CubeSounder weather imaging technology.
2023-08-16 The NASA-supported CubeSounder mission just completed its third test flight of a novel weather imaging payload. On the morning of August 16th, 2023, World View Enterprises launched the CubeSounder payload along with other payloads on their Stratollite vehicle on a high-altitude balloon from their launch pad in Page, Arizona. The flight unfortunately was terminated early after a few hours to safely avoid restricted airspace. Despite this setback, data taken in flight shows promising sensor performance. We are continuing to analyze the flight data to prepare for our next test flight which will hopefully achieve a long 30+ day duration. Each test flight is a key step on the path towards commercializing CubeSounder weather imaging technology.
2024-08-31 The NASA-supported CubeSounder mission just completed its fourth test flight of a novel weather imaging payload. On the morning of August 31st, 2024, World View Enterprises launched the CubeSounder payload along with other payloads on their Stratollite vehicle on a high-altitude balloon from their launch pad in Page, Arizona. The launch was successful and the flight is currently ongoing. We hope the rest of the nominally 30- day flight continues to go well, and we look forward to recovering and analyzing the data stored in our payload at the end of flight. Each test flight is a key step towards commercialing CubeSounder weather imaging technology.

The CubeSounder system has the potential to significantly improve global weather forecasting accuracy by integrating state-of-the-art atmospheric sounding sensors into CubeSats. It leverages components that are low cost, weight, and power. This would benefit NASA missions, the commercial space industry, other government agencies, and the nation. 

Future Customers
•Commercial Earth observation satellites
•Other flight-based environmental monitoring applications

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 6) — the most realistic path in is NASA SBIR/STTR, which funds small businesses and research institutions to develop technology aligned with NASA's needs (equity-free, phased funding). Check whether a current SBIR/STTR solicitation topic overlaps with this project's technology area, or contact the project directly (above) to ask.

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