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Completed TRL 3 (started at 1, targeting 3)
The Balloon Program Office (BPO) is committed to pursuing high-data-rate communications for circum-global balloon flights. Current missions demonstrate a capability of gathering terabytes of data per day. Global limitations and decommissioning activities for the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS) have forced groups to utilize drop sondes to recover hard drives during multi-day flights. Drop sondes are hampered by accessible land masses in the southern hemisphere and public safety when flying above populated locations. This project seeks to pursue optical communications as a high speed communications solution to download data from the balloon platform.
High speed data rates offered by optical communications will enable balloon payloads including science investigations to collect more data in real-time.
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