Balloon-Borne Cryogenic Telescope Testbed (BOBCAT)

The Balloon-Borne Cryogenic Telescope Testbed (BOBCAT) is a technology demonstration to develop advanced instrumentation for astrophysical observations at far-infrared wavelengths. It develops cryogenic techniques as an enabling technology to improve far-IR sensitivity by a factor of 100,000 or more compared to current state-of-the-art instrumentation such as SOFIA. Cryogenic spectrometers, operating at balloon altitudes, have game-changing capabilities, but achieving this goal while remaining within balloon payload mass limits requires ultra-light cryostats. This project develops the ultra-light cryostat and demonstrates the ability to transfer cryogenic liquids at balloon altitudes.

BOBCAT develops a new class of far-IR payload with breakthrough scientific capability. The science case is compelling. Far-IR emission lines probe the chemical content, energetics, and physical conditions within the interstellar medium of the Milky Way. Atomic and ionic fine structure lines (CII, NII, OI, OIV) dominate the far-IR spectrum of both normal and star-forming galaxies and can trace star formation activity across cosmic time. The proposed platform takes advantage of the unique physical conditions at balloon altitudes to improve far-IR mapping speed by five orders of magnitude compared to SOFIA, allowing observations in a single night that would otherwise require 2000 years.

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 4) — 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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