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Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility 

Tech Spec for Polyethylene Zero-Pressure Balloons 

QA-400-12-S Rev – B Date- 10/07/2009 page 1 of 37 

Approved by ____Jim Rotter______________________ date ___10/07/2009___________ 

NOTICE: : DOCUMENT FOLLOWS: 

COLUMBIA SCIENTIFIC BALLOON FACILITY 

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS 

FOR 

POLYETHYLENE ZERO-PRESSURE BALLOONS 

Original document 4/29/02 

Converted format(NSBF to CSBF) 

and released to InfoCentral 10/2/09




TABLE OF CONTENTS 

Page 

1. INTRODUCTION ............................................ 5 

1.1 Scope .............................................. 5 

1.2 Background ......................................... 5 

1.3 Deviations / Waivers ............................... 5 

2. MATERIALS ................................................ 6 

2.1 Film ................................................ 6 

2.1.1 Shell Film ................................... 6 

2.1.2 Other Film ................................... 7 

2.1.3 Shell PLI .................................. 7 

2.2 Load Tapes .......................................... 7 

2.3 Repair and Reinforcement Tapes ...................... 7 

2.3.1 Poly Tape .................................... 7 

2.3.2 Fiber-Reinforced Tape ........................ 7 

2.4 Electrical Cables .................................. 8 

2.4.1 Valve Cable ................................. 8 

2.4.2 LDB Cable & Connectors ....................... 8 

2.5 End Fittings ........................................ 8 

2.5.1 Base Fittings ................................ 8 

2.5.2 Apex Fittings ............................... 9 

2.5.3 End Fitting Paint ........................... 9 

3. BALLOON DESIGN .......................................... 10 

3.1 Design Philosophy .................................. 10 

3.1.1 Design Shape ................................ 10 

3.1.2 Design Thickness ............................ 10 

3.1.3 Procurement Methods ......................... ` 10




3.2 Design Nomenclature ................................ 11 

3.2.1 System of Units ............................ 11 

3.2.2 CSBF Identifier ............................. 11 

3.2.3 Definitions of Acronyms & Symbols ........... 12 

3.2.4 Measurements from Apex or Base .............. 13 

3.2.5 Altitude Reporting .......................... 13 

3.2.6 Specification Sheet ......................... 13 

3.3 Balloon Component Selection/Design Criteria ........ 14 

3.3.1 Total Film Thickness (per Launch Stress Index) 14 

3.3.2 Cap Location ................................ 14 

3.3.3 Shell/Cap Thickness (per Ascent Stress Index). 14 

3.3.4 Cap Lengths ................................. 15 

3.3.5 Load Tape Rating ............................ 15 

3.3.6 Base Gore Width for Tapeless Balloons ....... 16 

3.3.7 Vent Ducts .................................. 16 

3.3.8 Inflation Tubes ............................. 16 

3.3.9 Destruct Device ............................. 17 

3.3.10 Reefing Sleeve .............................. 18 

3.3.11 Valve Cable ................................. 18 

3.3.12 Valve Ports ................................. 18 

4. BALLOON MARKINGS & PACKAGING ............................ 19 

4.1 Bubble Mark Locations ............................. 19 

4.2 Balloon Markings ................................... 19 

4.3 Balloon Packaging & Marking ........................ 20 

4.4 Shipping Container & Markings ...................... 20 

4.4.1 Folding & Box Configuration ................. 21 

4.4.2 Box Markings ............................... 21 

4.4.3 Attached Spec Sheets ........................ 22 

5. CONSTRUCTION & QUALITY CONTROL .......................... 22 

5.1 Manufacturer’s Procedures & Specifications ......... 22 

5.2 Sealing Specifications ............................. 23 

5.3 Film Usage Requirements ............................ 23 

5.4 Policy for CSBF QA Oversight ....................... 23 

5.4.1 QA Surveillance ............................. 23 

5.4.2 QA Audits ................................... 25




6. DOCUMENTATION .......................................... 25 

7. REVISION RECORD ......................................... 27 

REFERENCES ................................................... 28 

APPENDIX 

A 

B 

C 

D 

E 

LDB BALLOON WIRING SCHEMATIC 

BALLOON SPECIFICATION SHEET WITH INSTRUCTIONS 

ASCENT STRESS INDEX - DERIVATION / EXPLANATION 

BALLOON BOXING & LABELING CONFIGURATION DRAWINGS 

QUALITY ASSURANCE BALLOON SECTION AUDIT PLAN




1.0 INTRODUCTION 

1.1 SCOPE 

This specification covers the technical requirements for polyethylene zero-pressure balloons purchased 

by CSBF. Other types of balloons, e.g. sounding balloons, superpressure balloons, and tow balloons 

will be covered separately. These requirements for materials, design, construction, QA/QC, marking, 

reporting, and packaging must be met or agreed to by the vendor for a proposal to be considered 

responsive. 

1.2 BACKGROUND 

All offerers must have their production procedures and QC program previously approved by NASA 

and CSBF (Balloon Engineer and QA). This is accomplished by presenting the program and 

documentation to CSBF for review and by verification with ground tests and qualification test flights. 

This specification replaces and supersedes CSBF's "Technical Specifications for Polyethylene Zero- 

Pressure Balloons", dated April 1980. Due to the length of CSBF's specifications, CSBF will not send 

a copy with every RFP. CSBF will supply a current copy for the balloon vendors to keep on file for 

reference. This includes the other CSBF specifications referenced in this document, viz. film 

specifications (Ref.’s 1 & 2) and sealing specifications (Ref. 4). Proposals with balloon designs which 

come the closest to matching these specifications while being on the conservative side, will be 

considered technically most efficient. 

Major changes in this revision to the specifications include: 

(1) New designs are to be designed with the fully deployed (design) shape at the Maximum 

Recommended Payload rather than at the minimum. (CSBF will however retain the 

option to order designs produced with alternate methods). 

(2) The Launch Stress Index (LSI) limit, which is used for setting the total film thickness of 

the launch bubble, has been increased from 1400 PSI to 1800 PSI. Similarly, the 

Ascent Stress Index (ASI) limit has been increased from 2750 PSI to 3800 PSI. 

(3) The standard cap location is now external rather than internal to the balloon wall. 

These changes were previously incorporated into the NASA Standard Design Array of balloons in 

1992 (‘92 SDA). 

1.3 DEVIATIONS / WAIVERS 

The supplier is urged to avoid or correct deviations from these specifications if at all possible, 

particularly if they may in any way adversely affect the performance of the balloon. Provision is made 

for the possibility of waivers in special cases which are not deemed detrimental. Long-term proposed 

vendor exceptions to this specification must be requested by the vendor and approved in writing by the




CSBF Balloon Engineer and the Site Manager and be on file at CSBF before a purchase order will be 

issued. Individual proposed vendor exceptions to this specification must be pointed out by the vendor 

in their proposal and approved by the CSBF Balloon Engineer in the normal procurement process. 

A balloon delivered with an unapproved deviation from these specifications will not be accepted unless 

the vendor first applies for a waiver in writing and obtains approval from the CSBF Balloon Engineer. 

The waiver must: cite the passage of the specification which was violated, give a precise description 

of the deviation, explain why the manufacturer believes it will not be detrimental to the performance of 

the balloon, and note any corrective actions planned to prevent reoccurrence of the problem. 

It is mandatory that CSBF be kept informed in a timely manner of significant changes in the balloon 

materials or production processes, etc., in order that this may be noted in the CSBF flight record. The 

exact nature of the change is not required. Seemingly minor changes may be significant under the 

conditions encountered by a balloon in flight. 

2.0 MATERIALS 

2.1 FILM 

All balloon film (shell, cap, inflation tube, duct, seal buffer tape, load tape substrate, reefing sleeve, 

and valve cable sheaths, etc.) must be polyethylene, fully identified as to manufacturer, film type, and 

date of production, and be traceable to balloon production. 

2.1.1 SHELL FILM 

The film type to be used for the balloon shell (wall), caps, and ducts must be NASA Qualified. There 

are currently two NASA Qualified balloon film types as listed below with their applicable 

specifications: 

0.8 MIL WINZEN STRATOFILM-372: 

"CSBF SPECIFICATIONS FOR WINZEN STRATOFILM-372 0.8 MIL BALLOON FILM", 

dated 2/16/94. 

0.8 MIL RAVEN ASTROFILM-E2: 

"CSBF SPECIFICATIONS FOR RAVEN ASTROFILM-E2 0.8 MIL BALLOON FILM", dated 

4/30/92. 

Only NASA-Certified film may be used in the shell, caps, and ducts of CSBF balloons. This will be 

accomplished by submitting Roll # Lists and the required QC test data to CSBF QA for certification in 

accordance with the above listed applicable film specifications.




2.1.2 OTHER FILM 

For the other gauges of film not covered under the above listed specifications, the balloon offerers 

shall maintain in-house production and QC procedures with acceptance criteria which are available to 

and subject to CSBF approval. These other gauges of film shall be made from the same resin and be of 

the same general quality as the shell/cap film. 

2.1.3 SHELL PLI 

All rolls of film to be used as shell material must pass cross-polarized light inspection (PLI). The 

manufacturer shall maintain an in-house flaw catalogue, PLI procedures, and PLI operator training 

procedures which ensure that all serious flaws (e.g. holes, slits, severe scratches, severe abrasions, 

severe stretch marks, and hard gels) are marked and repaired. During PLI each flaw shall be marked 

appropriately with a red marker, and a mark shall be placed on the slit edge of the roll of film to aid the 

fabrication crew in locating the flaw. Rolls with serious, chronic flaws shall be rejected. An 

individual PLI record sheet shall be kept for each roll inspected. It shall identify the inspector, date of 

inspection, all flaws noted during the inspection, and the final disposition of the roll of film. 

2.2 LOAD TAPES 

Load bearing tapes will be rated as ≤90% of the breaking load with that load applied linearly at a 

constant loading rate of 100 ± 20 LB/SEC. Substrate materials must meet the requirements stated in 

the film section (2.1) of this specification or be extruded from the same resin. Fibers used to form the 

load members must have a published brittle transition temperature outside of the range -80°C to 65°C. 

The radar reflective yarn to be used in the load tapes should be Lundy Yarn #100/200 with a 

reflectivity of 200 to 2700 MHz (or an CSBF-approved equivalent). 

Load tape fabrication techniques using adhesives are discouraged. If the substrate layers are to be 

bonded together using adhesives, then the manufacturer must first establish a blocking test and 

acceptance procedure with CSBF approval. 

2.3 REPAIR & REINFORCEMENT TAPES 

2.3.1 POLY TAPE 

"Poly Tape" to be used for repair and reinforcement of the balloon will be Raven Industries, Inc. (RII) 

pressure sensitive polyethylene balloon tape, SSA-10. 

2.3.2 FIBER-REINFORCED TAPE 

Fiber-Reinforced Tape to be used for reinforcement of the balloon will be 3M Company pressure 

sensitive fiber-reinforced tape, # 890.




2.4 ELECTRICAL CABLES 

2.4.1 VALVE CABLE & CONNECTORS 

Electrical cables supplied in valve cable assemblies, etc., must be Berkshire Electric Cable Co. 

stranded, tinned copper conductor wire with white untreated double cellulose acetate braid insulation. 

Only standard American Wire Gauges are to be used. All wires installed in the balloon must be 

continuous lengths, i.e. splice-free from end to end. 

A standard CSBF valve cable consists of four (4) #16-AWG wires. A four-wire socket connector, # 

MS3106A-14S-2S, will be installed on the apex end of the cable. A four-wire pin connector, # 

MS3101A-14S-2P, with pull-away, will be installed at the base. 

2.4.2 LDB CABLE & CONNECTORS 

Balloons ordered with standard LDB requirements require additional cable in the valve cable sheath. 

This cable is to consist of two (2) shielded twisted pair cables with continuous (un-spliced) lengths. 

Each twisted pair cable is specified as follows: 

Two conductor 24 Gauge with white Teflon tape or extrusion outer jacket. Belden 83318 or 

Thermax 24-TE-1936 (2) STJ or Philadelphia Insulated Wire Co. 102-219-T2 or equivalent. 

The LDB cables require 5-Pin Amphenol type connectors with pull-away at the base of the balloon. 

Connector Pins A & B - Pair 1, Pins C & D - Pair 2, and both pairs shields wired to Pin E (see 

drawing, Appendix A). Connector specifications are as follows: 

Balloon Apex Connector: Amphenol MS3106A-14S-5S 

with: Amphenol 97-3057-6 Backshell 

Balloon Base Connector: Amphenol MS3101A-14S-5P (pull-away) 

with: Amphenol 97-3057-6 Backshell 

2.5 END FITTINGS 

2.5.1 BASE FITTINGS 

Since the main threaded fasteners in the base fitting are potential single point failure items in the flight 

system, they are subject to the NASA/GSFC policy for structural threaded fasteners for flight 

hardware. Traceable certifications of the strengths of all eye bolts and eyenuts are required. The 

certifications must state the ultimate strength or working load limit and associated factor of safety. 

Traceable certifications of the minimum mechanical properties, i.e., yield and ultimate tensile strength 

of the threaded studs and wedges, are required. A stress analysis providing the minimum ultimate




strength of the threaded stud/wedge interface is required for each type of base fitting. A quality control 

(QC) traceability system is required for all load-bearing, threaded, base fitting components, either new 

or used. This system must be presented to and approved by the CSBF Quality Assurance (QA) 

Manager. 

2.5.2 APEX FITTINGS 

Aluminum plate used for the plate, hoop and clamp ring end fittings shall be degreased 6061-T6. All 

plate, hoop and clamp end fittings shall have two handles affixed to the plate. Handles on the valve 

cover ports are not acceptable. 

2.5.3 END FITTING PAINT 

All exposed exterior plate surfaces of apex fittings shall be spray painted with an CSBF-approved 

white paint. Paints currently approved include: 

- Sherwin-Williams "Controls Rust Spray Enamel, Gloss White" (1400522) 

- Krylon "Appliance Epoxy, White" (8036). 

The surfaces must be painted to within 0.25 inch of clamp ring gaskets or valve port gaskets. 

Balloons ordered with standard LDB requirements require additional painting as follows: 

All exposed surfaces (both exterior & interior) of apex and base fittings are to be spray-painted with 

the standard white paint.




3.0 BALLOON DESIGN 

3.1 DESIGN PHILOSOPHY 

3.1.1 DESIGN SHAPE 

The design philosophy should be based upon the "Natural Shape" balloon design. Deviations from this 

basic concept due to manufacturers design practices or experience are to be noted in the cover letter of 

the proposal and the design spec sheet. 

New designs are to be designed with the fully deployed (design) shape at the Maximum Recommended 

Payload rather than at the minimum. (CSBF will however retain the option to order existing designs 

produced with alternate methods). 

3.1.2 DESIGN THICKNESS 

Two types of stress indexes are defined to give a relative measure of the magnitude of stresses in the 

balloon and to provide an analytical method for determining safe, consistent, and efficient thicknesses 

for different designs. The Launch Stress Index (LSI) limit is used to set the minimum required total 

thickness (shell + caps) at launch. The Ascent Stress Index (ASI) limit is used to set the minimum 

required shell thickness for flight. 

3.1.3 PROCUREMENT METHODS 

Quotations may be requested for specific model numbers or for specific requirements (e.g., volume or 

minimum altitude, maximum recommended payload, minimum recommended payload, gore length, 

special cap lengths, etc.). Any design feature specifically specified in a Request for Proposal (RFP) 

will take precedence over the applicable requirement in this specification. Most RFP's, however, will 

be presented based on nominal launch payload, initial float payload and altitude, and minimum float 

payload. The following equations will be used to establish design limits: 

Maximum Recommended Payload ≥ Nominal Launch Payload/0.8 

Minimum Recommended Payload ≤ Minimum Float Payload/1.2 

NASA/CSBF will normally maintain a set of NASA Standard Balloon Designs for normal science 

needs for large balloons (Vol. ≥ 4 MCF). These designs will be developed in a special cooperative 

effort between NASA/CSBF and the supplier. Special procurement methods, e.g. blanket orders, may 

be set up to allow for the expedient procurement of these balloons.




3.2 DESIGN NOMENCLATURE 

3.2.1 SYSTEM OF UNITS 

The English System of Units (feet, inches, pounds, seconds, etc.) will be used for all specifications and 

performance reporting for CSBF balloons. 

3.2.2 CSBF IDENTIFIER 

All balloon designs for CSBF will be given a design identifier of the format: 

MV-C 

Where: 

M - Manufacturer's (or Designer's) first initial. 

V - Inflated balloon volume in millions of cubic feet. (MCF) to four significant digits. 

(EX.: 29,470,000 is 29.47; 1500 is .0015) 

C - Number of caps. 

Each balloon produced for CSBF will then be given a CSBF Identifier which contains the design 

identifier plus unique sequence numbers assigned by the manufacturer and CSBF as follows: 

Where: 

(NNN) MV-C-SN 

NNN - 

SN - 

CSBF Balloon Number, a unique sequence number assigned to each 

balloon procured, or to be flown, by CSBF. (This number will be 

assigned by the CSBF Balloon Engineer just before production 

commences). 

Manufacturer's Serial Number, a unique sequence number assigned to 

each balloon of each type produced by the manufacturer. 

CSBF reserves the right to designate the Identifier to be used on all its balloons. New variables may be 

added to the balloon identifier when deemed necessary (e.g. "I" for internal caps or "E" for external 

caps). Examples of some actual CSBF Balloon Identifiers are as follows: 

(612) R11.62-1E-103 (611) W39.57-3-02 

(894) R4.00-1-21 (676) W.0029-0-07 

The CSBF Identifier shall be used by the manufacturer in all correspondence with CSBF and in the




heading of Balloon Spec Sheets to designate a design or a specific balloon. The CSBF Identifiers for 

the current set of NASA Standard Balloon Designs are as follows: 

W11.82-1E, W11.82-3E, W29.47-2X, 

W39.57-2, W39.57-3 

3.2.3 DEFINITIONS OF ACRONYMS & SYMBOLS 

Acronyms and symbols used in the design equations are defined as follows: 

SYMBOL QUANTITY UNITS 

A Total Duct Area ft 2 

ASI Ascent Stress Index psi 

BGW Base Gore Width in 

BL Bubble Location ft 

BW Balloon Weight lb 

b Buoyancy lb/ft 3 

CL Cap Length ft 

D Balloon Diameter ft 

FL Free Lift lb 

FL mx Maximum Free Lift lb 

(0.12(P mx + BW)) 

GI Gross Inflation lb 

GI mx Maximum Gross Inflation lb 

(1.12 (P mx + BW)) 

GI n Nominal Gross Inflation lb 

(1.12 (P n + BW)) 

L 

Distance from Apex 

to Inflation Tubes 

ft 

LSI Launch Stress Index psi 

MCF Million Cubic Feet 10 6 ft 3




NG Number of Gores – 

P mn Minimum Recommended Payload lb 

P mx Maximum Recommended Payload lb 

P n Nominal Payload lb 

r Radius from Axis of Symmetry ft 

TR Load Tape Rating lb 

t Total Film Thickness mil 

t s Shell Film Thickness mil 

V Inflated Balloon Volume MCF 

z 

Height above 

Zero-Pressure Line 

ft 

θ o Initial Wall Angle degrees 

3.2.4 MEASUREMENTS FROM APEX OR BASE 

In the phrase "from the apex", apex is taken to mean theoretical apex, i.e. the center of the apex fitting. 

In the phrase "from the base", base is taken to mean theoretical base, i.e. the point of intersection of the 

balloon center line and the projection of the gore line at the base. 

3.2.5 ALTITUDE REPORTING 

The standard for all altitude predictions will be Ref. 3, the NCAR Technical Note, TN/1A-69, 

"Aerostatic Lift of Helium and Hydrogen in the Atmosphere", which uses the U.S. Standard 

Atmosphere, 1962. The standard lifting gas will be Helium, unless otherwise specified. 

A balloon performance sheet, “Load/Altitude Curve”, will be required for each balloon design. It will 

consist of balloon average float altitudes shown on a graph with geopotential altitude in feet for the 

ordinate and gross load (including balloon weight) in pounds for the abscissa. The graph title will 

contain the manufacturer, manufacturer’s model number, maximum and minimum recommended 

payloads, estimated balloon weight, and date drawn.




3.2.6 SPECIFICATION SHEET 

A standard specification sheet, “Spec Sheet”, will be required showing the balloon features. (See the 

standard format for the Spec Sheet in Appendix B). Modifications to this format must be pre-approved 

by the CSBF Balloon Engineer. A “Design Spec Sheet” will be required in the proposal process, and 

an accurate "As-Built Spec Sheet” will be required for each balloon delivered. 

3.3 BALLOON COMPONENT SELECTION/DESIGN CRITERIA 

3.3.1 TOTAL FILM THICKNESS (PER LAUNCH STRESS INDEX) 

A simplified Launch Stress Index (LSI) is defined based on simplified assumptions to give a sphere 

stress for a spherical balloon (bubble) at launch as follows: 

LSI = 

(GI)2/3 

(. 1167)t 

The minimum required total film thickness (shell + caps) is then defined by putting an empirical limit 

on the LSI based on flight history. The LSI limit is currently set at 1800 psi, resulting in the following 

equation for total film thickness: 

t ≥ (GI mx) 2/3 

210 

The division of film thickness among the shell and caps is left to the discretion of the manufacturer, 

but of course the choice is limited to the NASA-Qualified balloon film types (only 0.8 MIL films are 

currently NASA-Qualified). 

3.3.2 CAP LOCATION 

The standard location for caps used to increase the total film thickness of the launch bubble is external 

to the balloon wall. Any deviation from this will be specified in the individual balloon order. 

3.3.3 SHELL/CAP THICKNESS (PER ASCENT STRESS INDEX) 

The Ascent Stress Index (ASI) accounts for the ascending balloon shape in the approximation of the 

maximum balloon stress (see derivation in Appendix C) and is defined as follows: 

ASI = b(rz) mx 

t




The ASI limit is currently set empirically at 3800 psi. The balloon's total film thickness in the capped 

region and the shell thickness below the caps must be thick enough so that throughout flight : 

ASI mx ≤ 3800 psi 

For designs with the standard external cap location, the caps remain effective throughout the flight and 

are therefore included in the total film thickness in the capped region when computing ASI. For 

special designs with internal caps, the designer must take into account when the caps become 

ineffective to ensure that the ASI limit is not exceeded. 

3.3.4 CAP LENGTHS 

The length of the shortest cap must meet the following requirement: 

CL ≥ 7.862 (GI mx ) 1/3 

Additional caps must be a minimum of 15 ft longer than the previous cap. Caps may be spaced more if 

dictated by manufacturing requirements. The standard cap location is external to the balloon wall (on 

the outside of the balloon), unless specified otherwise. For multi-cap balloons, the shortest cap shall 

be adjacent to the balloon wall, and the longest cap shall be outermost from the balloon wall. For a 

standard external cap balloon, this puts the longest cap on the outside of the balloon. 

3.3.5 LOAD TAPE RATING 

The load rating required for load tapes will be determined as: 

TR ≥ 

4 

NG [(P mx/COS θ 0 ) + BW + FL mx ] 

Unless otherwise specified, all balloons with load tapes will have radar reflective yarn in the load tapes 

(radar tapes) at the following frequency: 

VOLUME 

MCF 

> 12 Every Tenth Tape 

5-12 Every Fifth Tape 

2-5 Every Third Tape 

1-2 Every Other Tape 

0-1 Every Tape




To ease manufacturing, a small degree of variation is allowed in the distribution of the radar tapes as 

long as there is uniform distribution in the final product and the required total is met. 

3.3.6 BASE GORE WIDTH FOR TAPELESS BALLOONS 

The base gore width for tapeless balloons shall be determined from the following equation: 

3.3.7 VENT DUCTS 

BGW ≥ (P mx/ cos θ 0 ) + BW + FL mx 

(0.8)(NG)(t) 

The following equation will give the total area required of the vent ducts: 

A ≥ (2.76 × 10 −5 ) D 2 GI mx /t s 

Unless otherwise specified, there will be at least two duct tubes, but three or four are preferred. 

Horsetail or attached ducts will be specified in the order. 

The bottom of wall penetrations for ducts will be located between ¼ to ⅓ of the gore length from the 

base, rounded to the nearest even foot. The length of horsetail ducts will be such that the bottom of the 

duct is even with the base of the balloon when at float with the maximum recommended payload. 

Film thickness of the ducts will be the same as the balloon shell. 

3.3.8 INFLATION TUBES 

All balloons with V ≥ 0.1 MCF will have two inflation tubes, located 180° apart, so that they are 

perpendicular to the flight train during inflation. 

Thickness control requirements for inflation tube material are as follows: 

Gram Weight: 

Profile: 

t IT = 3 ± 0.18 mil 

t IT = 3 ± 1.2 mil 

Standard inflation tube diameter will be as follows: 

D IT ≥ 9.5 in 

Manufacturers will specify and explain all deviations from these standards. 

Each inflation tube must be pressure tested, inspected for leaks or flaws, and approved by QC before 

installation.




The distance from the apex to the center of wall penetrations for inflation tubes will be determined 

from the following equation: 

L = 2.313 [. 8 P mx + BW] 1/3 ± 2 

There will be at least a 2 inch clearance between the edge of the inflation tube reinforcement and the 

gore seam. In some cases this will set the location from the apex. 

All NASA Standard Design Balloons without external caps shall have 0.8 mil external reinforcement 

sheets on the inflation tube gores. These external reinforcement sheets shall be the same shape as the 

gore, integrally sealed with the gore, and extending from the apex to five feet (5 ± 1 ft) above the 

shortest cap, or, for capless balloons, to five feet (5 ± 1 ft) less than the Cap Length Equation (Sect 

3.3.2). 

Inflation tubes will have continuous, visible green stripes 0.75 inches (0.75 ± 0.25") wide running the 

length of the tubes. The number of stripes will indicate the sequence of installation of the respective 

tubes, i.e., one stripe on the first tube installed, two stripes on the second, etc. The circumferential 

location of the stripes will be such that they appear on the upper side of the tube during inflation. The 

gore number on which the inflation tube is installed shall also be written on the inflation tube in 2 inch 

(2" ± 0.5") high red numerals placed within one foot of the point of its attachment to the balloon gore 

material. In the same manner, an "L" or "R" for the left or right side of the balloon stack (looking 

down the laid-out balloon from the apex toward the base) shall also be written just below the gore 

number to assist the launch crew in the location of the tubes. The tube number, gore number, and "L" 

or "R" shall also be recorded on the bag in which the inflation tube is folded in the packaged 

configuration. 

3.3.9 DESTRUCT DEVICE 

CSBF will evaluate destruct device designs for balloons with lightweight payloads (PL < 200 lb) on a 

proposal basis. All balloons with heavier payloads will have a top secured, rip panel, payload-actuated 

destruct device. 

The rip panel shall be positioned to rip a hole in the balloon such that the top of the hole is high enough 

on the balloon that the residual gas in an upright balloon would be insufficient to support the balloon 

weight at sea level. The detailed design of the rip panel and associated devices is left to the discretion 

of the manufacturer, and is subject to CSBF approval. 

The gore location of the rip panel and its two adjacent gores (& seams) shall not contain attachments of 

any other type, e.g. valve cables, vent ducts, inflation tubes, reefing sleeve seam, etc. This will help 

insure that these attachments are not destroyed by use of the destruct device, improving the chances of 

locating and checking these appendages in case of a study or failure investigation. 

The rip panel line shall be 1000 lb rated, white, braided nylon. It shall extend from the rip panel to be 

suspended from the apex by a breakaway device or line. The rip line will hang freely from the apex to 

the base, where it will pass through a suitable fitting, terminating at least 10 ft below the balloon. The 

breakaway device or line shall be strong enough to support at least three times the weight of the rip




panel line, but will release the rip line from the top end fitting when a force is applied through the rip 

panel line that is half the weight of the minimum recommended payload (Force = P mn /2). (In some 

cases, this requirement may fix the value of the minimum recommended payload). 

The rip panel line portion between the bottom of the balloon and the top end fitting shall have at least 

5% slack laid inside the balloon and evenly distributed along its length. The portion of the line from 

the top fitting to the rip panel shall have at least 10% slack. Care must be taken to avoid any 

possibility of entanglement of these two portions of the line in the folded/packaged balloon. 

3.3.10 REEFING SLEEVE 

All balloons with caps and/or a wall thickness less than 1 mil and an inflated volume greater than 1 

MCF will have a reefing sleeve to provide added protection during the launch phase. 

The sleeve will extend from the base of the balloon to 10 ft above the bottom of the shortest cap. The 

distance from the apex to the top of the sleeve for balloons without caps will be 10 ft less than the 

distance determined from the equation in paragraph 3.3.4 of this specification. (The top of the sleeve 

will normally be specified to be higher on the NASA Standard Design Balloons to handle the wide 

payload ranges, but not higher than 10 ft below the maximum bubble mark). 

The sleeve shall be continuously sealed for its entire length to a flange which is sealed to a balloon 

gore seam. The reefing sleeve seal shall be reinforced with a single strip of poly tape on each side of 

the seal for 15 ft from the top of the seal. 

The thickness of the sleeve shall be determined by the manufacturer. A rip panel will be sealed into 

the sleeve for its entire length and adjacent to the gore seam attachment. The panel thickness shall be 

no greater than the balloon wall thickness. 

3.3.11 VALVE CABLE 

A standard valve cable assembly will be required unless otherwise specified. A standard CSBF valve 

cable consists of four (4) #16-AWG wires in a polyethylene sheath running the entire length of and 

continuously attached to a flange which is sealed to a balloon gore seam. At the balloon apex, the 

valve cable shall extend past the apex clamp point to a length at least 3 inches greater that the radius of 

the apex fitting. At the balloon base, the valve cable shall extend past the base clamp point to a length 

of at least 24 inches. 

Wires on balloons with load tapes will have ~7% slack. Wires on other balloons will have ~20% slack. 

Slack wire will be evenly distributed along the length of the valve cable in a smooth serpentine 

manner, i.e. not in hard, protruding knots or folds. 

The valve cable will be positioned circumferentially such that during inflation it will be on the side of 

the laid-out balloon. This will prevent the wires from being pressed between the balloon and the roller.




3.3.12 VALVE PORTS 

Standard valve port arrangements for the current set of NASA Standard Balloon Designs consist of a 

33 inch diameter apex fitting plate with EV-13 valve ports specified as follows: 

W11.62-1E > 

Remaining Designs > 

One EV-13 Valve Port, Centered 

(Ref. CSBF Drawing No. 400-389) 

Two EV-13 Valve Ports 

(Ref. CSBF Drawing No. 400-388) 

4.0 BALLOON MARKINGS & PACKAGING 

4.1 BUBBLE MARK LOCATIONS 

Bubble mark locations will be provided to aid in positioning the balloon in the launch spool during 

inflation. These locations will be measured from the apex of the balloon. The maximum bubble mark 

will be given by: 

LB mx = 2.541 GI mx 

0.06591 1/3 

rounded up to the nearest 10 feet (i.e., 90, 100, … 140, 150, etc). The minimum bubble mark will be 

given by: 

LB mn = 2.541 P mn + BW 

0.06591 1/3 

rounded down to the nearest 10 feet. Subsequent marks will be made every 10 feet between these two. 

The nominal bubble mark will be given by: 

rounded to the nearest foot. 

1/3 

GI n 

LB n = 2.541 

0.06591 

4.2 BALLOON MARKINGS 

Seal numbers for the first and every tenth seal shall be recorded legibly with light red ink on the load 

tapes within one foot of the apex fitting. For NASA Standard Designs, collar location marks shall be




marked on the top of the reefing sleeve with light red ink (mark locations prescribed by CSBF). 

(Inflation tube marking requirements are described in Section 3.3.8). 

4.3 BALLOON PACKAGING & MARKING 

All balloons shall be evacuated of air and packaged in an outer wrapper consisting of at least one layer 

of at least 3 mil thick red polyethylene ("red wrap"). Balloons weighing more than 1400 lb will be 

packaged in double-layer 3 mil red wrap. (All of the current NASA Standard Balloon Designs require 

this double layer wrap). Balloons with reefing sleeves will have a 1 mil inner cover from the apex to 

five feet below the top of the reefing sleeve. The inner cover will be translucent yellow. 

The inflation tubes will be packaged by locating them a few feet (3 to 6 feet) above the installation 

point and accordion folding and bagging them at that point. On balloons with inner one mil (yellow) 

wrap, the tubes are to be pulled thru openings in the inner wrap at the installation point and placed 

between the inner (yellow) and outer (red) wraps. The tubes will be bagged and/or packaged in a safe 

manner for both the tubes and the balloon. 

The packaged tubes will be positioned on their respective sides of the stack or on the bottom of the 

stack so they end up on top after crossing the launch spool. The packaging should be such that they 

remain in place, easily accessible to the launch crew. 

A sheet of Hi-Slip Poly (at least 5 ft X 16 ft in size and at least 2 mil nominal thickness) shall be 

included for all balloons with reefing sleeves. The Hi-Slip Poly sheet should be folded in a red poly 

bag and tucked into the top of the reefing sleeve in such a manner as to not endanger the balloon. 

Markings are required on the top of the outer wrapper for all of the following where applicable: 

1. Bubble Mark Locations (Min, Max, Nom, Δ10') 

2. Cap Terminations 

3. Reefing Sleeve Termination 

4. Inflation Tube Attachments (on Top & Bottom) 

5. Vent Duct Attachments 

6. Upper End of Destruct Rip Panel 

7. Two Inch Wide Black Stripe Running the Length of the Balloon on the Top of the 

Stack




4.4 SHIPPING CONTAINER & MARKINGS 

4.4.1 FOLDING & BOX CONFIGURATION 

Packaging shall be of good commercial standards which insure safe shipment. The shipping box shall 

be lined with cardboard and a sealed water-tight liner to facilitate normal storage. The balloon shall be 

folded into the shipping box in a zig-zag fashion to achieve the packaged configuration illustrated in 

Appendix D, Figure 4-1. No twists are permitted. 

The top edge of the end (& opposite end) of the box from which the balloon will deploy should be 

higher than the other two long sides, so that the lid will fit flush between them and thus be held more 

securely in position (see Appendix D, Figure 4-2). (This loading end of the box also needs to be 

higher than the sides in order to facilitate the installation of the deployment roller by the launch crew). 

The lid shall be secured in place before shipping with #6 or #8 flat head Phillips drywall screws. 

4.4.2 BOX MARKINGS 

All four sides of the shipping box must be marked with the CSBF Balloon Number (see Section 3.2.2), 

a unique number assigned to each balloon purchased by (or to be launched by) CSBF. The CSBF 

Balloon Number must be printed with clearly visible, bold, red letters approximately 6 inches in height 

and 4.5 inches in width, and must be located in the center of each side panel (see example, Appendix 

D, Figure 4-2). 

The two lengthwise long sides shall be marked with the following shipping information: 

¬ 

¬ 

¬ 

¬ 

¬ 

¬ 

¬ 

¬ 

¬ 

¬ 

¬ 

shipping box gross weight, 

box dimensions, and volume in cubic feet, 

the customer order number, 

the CSBF identifier, 

the balloon manufacturer, 

manufacturer's model number, 

balloon serial number, 

balloon volume, 

gore length, 

shell/cap thicknesses, and 

as-built balloon weight.




This information must be printed with clearly visible, bold, black letters at least 0.5 inches in height 

and shall be located at the upper middle position of the panel opposite the deployment region of the 

shipping box. 

A bold black arrow, " => ", approximately 3 inches in width and 12 inches in length, shall be located 

on two sides of the shipping box in the deployment region, showing the direction of balloon removal. 

"LAY-OUT BALLOON FROM THIS END" shall be written (with at least 1 inch high letters) near 

the arrow for clarification purposes as shown in Figure 4-2. The box end from which the balloon will 

deploy will be labeled "ROLLER" (with at least 2 inch high letters). 

All markings shall be placed low enough so as to remain visible when the interior packaging material 

is folded out and pressed against the side. Figure 4-2 gives an example of the required format for 

shipping box markings. All information on balloon boxes shall be recorded using a water proof, latex 

type paint and/or marker in red or black. The marker ink should meet the performance requirements of 

Fed Spec TT-1-1795 and CID-A-A-208. Box labeling may also be accomplished with pre-printed 

water proof placards affixed to the box in a permanent manner. 

4.4.3 ATTACHED SPEC SHEETS 

Two sets of the As-Built Spec Sheet and Load/Altitude Curve will be packed with each balloon. One 

set of copies will be packaged in a water proof envelope affixed to the shipping box exterior (see 

Appendix D, Figure 4-2). The other will be in an envelope inside of the shipping box on top of the 

cardboard liner. 

5. 0 CONSTRUCTION & QUALITY CONTROL 

5.1 MANUFACTURER’S PROCEDURES & SPECIFICATIONS 

All offerers must have their production procedures and QC program previously approved by NASA 

and CSBF (Balloon Engineer and QA). This is accomplished by presenting the program and 

documentation to CSBF for review and by product verification with ground tests and qualification test 

flights. All balloon suppliers must also agree to and fully cooperate with CSBF QA oversight. 

A quality control (QC) traceability system is required for all structurally critical base fitting 

components, either new or used. This system must be presented to and approved by the CSBF Quality 

Assurance (QA) Manager. (See Section 2.5.1). 

While producing CSBF balloons, suppliers must keep their current production and QC procedures 

documentation and the balloon’s design specs in a convenient place in their plant for reference by the 

CSBF Balloon Engineer and QA personnel. The procedures documentation must cover the entire 

process including the following: seals, end fittings, end fitting installation, load tape attachment, 

patches and repairs, accessories, attachments, tolerances, lubrication, inspection, folding, marking and 

packaging. Any company proprietary information submitted to satisfy this requirement will be treated 

as proprietary by CSBF unless it already exists in the public domain.




5.2 SEALING SPECIFICATIONS 

All balloon suppliers must agree to and follow the following specification (Ref. 4) for the balloon 

sealing process: 

“CSBF Specifications for Band Sealing of Zero Pressure Polyethylene Balloons”, dated 

1/23/95. 

This specification was developed by NASA/CSBF with the help and cooperation of their balloon 

manufacturers to insure the reliability of NASA band-sealed polyethylene balloons purchased by 

CSBF for high altitude science. This specification was formulated to standardize the band sealing 

process, develop seals which have tensile strengths consistently greater than or equal to 3000 PSI, and 

particularly to eliminate peel seals. It requires sealing machine optimization, sealing machine 

parameter monitoring, seal visual inspection, and production and testing of sample seals throughout 

production. 

5.3 FILM USAGE REQUIREMENTS 

Film should be used on a first-in-first-out basis with as little mixing of film from different extrusion 

series as possible. When a roll of film is dispensed on the table for balloon production, the first and 

last 50 feet of the roll should not be used. This is a precaution to avoid possible core, winding, or 

handling damage. 

5.4 POLICY FOR CSBF QA OVERSIGHT 

All balloon suppliers must agree to and fully cooperate with CSBF QA oversight of NASA/CSBF film 

and balloon production. The supplier must provide a seven day written notice to CSBF QA of an 

extrusion run intended to provide film for CSBF balloons. The supplier must also keep the CSBF 

Balloon Engineer supplied with an up-to-date production schedule for all CSBF balloons. The CSBF 

QA oversight program consists of process audits (materials & balloon production surveillance), 

procedure audits (written vs. practice), and product audits (film testing, balloon section audits, & 

documentation audits). 

5.4.1 QA SURVEILLANCE 

Visits for balloon materials production and balloon production surveillance may be conducted by 

CSBF, unannounced, at the production facilities at any time work is being performed for 

NASA/CSBF. Upon arrival at the plant, the CSBF auditor will check in and/or sign in per the 

manufacturer's requirements. Every effort will be made to conduct the surveillance in a polite, nondisruptive 

manner that does not disturb the normal flow of production and is compliant with company 

policies and safety procedures. 

When the manufacturer is working on materials or balloon production for NASA/CSBF, the auditor 

should be allowed access to all areas where production is in progress, including:




- Film winding area 

- load tape production area 

- QC testing area for film & load tape 

- All film PLI (polarized light inspection) areas 

- The balloon production floor. 

- Accessory/finishing production areas. 

- Material handling, storage, & inspection areas. 

- QC testing area for balloon production 

- Scales where balloons and boxes are weighed. 

- Shipping area. 

The auditor should also be allowed access to the following information as required: 

- All applicable material test data 

- Applicable balloon production specifications and drawings. 

- Balloon production & repair procedures. 

- Manufacturer's QC policies and procedures. 

- QC test data pertaining to NASA/CSBF balloon production. 

- Balloon production & repair procedures. 

The CSBF Auditor should be allowed to perform the following activities on a non-disruptive basis: 

- Observe film winding 

- Observe film PLI 

- Check QC test equipment set-up and calibration. 

- Observe QC testing on all balloon materials, e.g. film, load tape, adhesive tape, & 

fittings. 

- Examine personnel qualification records. 

- Inspect items that come in contact with NASA/CSBF balloons, such as tables, sealing 

machines, table weights, rollers, conveyors, shipping crates, buggies, film dispensers, 

etc. 

- Examine storage and handling of materials for NASA/CSBF balloons, including: film 

rolls, load tapes, adhesive tapes (SSA-10, 3M-890), etc. 

- Check balloon table dimensions. 

- Check sealing machine settings. 

- Observe all production processes (especially sealing) on NASA/CSBF balloons. 

- Examine balloon production, repair and QC records. 

- Check shell/cap gore width uniformity of NASA/CSBF balloons in production with 

assistance from the manufacturer's personnel. 

- Observe seal testing and examine seal test records for NASA/CSBF balloons, including 

sealer optimization studies, shift start-up and ending seal tests and machine adjustment 

seal tests. 

- Observe balloon packaging & boxing 

Any questions regarding QC matters deemed by the CSBF Auditor to be serious and urgent will first 

be directed to the Head of the Table or other person in charge of that particular task. If the response is 

deemed unsatisfactory, the CSBF inspector will then direct the issue to the manufacturer's QC 

Manager or his designated representative. The CSBF on-site auditor should be kept informed of and




invited to witness QC testing and other actions taken by the manufacturer which are designed to 

resolve any QC matters of serious concern to the CSBF. 

Before departing the manufacturer's premises, the CSBF inspector will discuss all pertinent findings, 

both positive and negative, with the manufacturer's QC Manager or designated representative. 

5.4.2 QA AUDITS 

Balloon suppliers must cooperate with the procedure audits and product audits conducted by CSBF 

QA. 

CSBF QA conducts procedure audits of the production and QC procedures for NASA/CSBF film, load 

tape, and balloon production. The various processes are selected for audit on a regular basis. The 

selected written procedure is reviewed and then compared by observation to actual practice. The 

results are reported to the manufacturer so that any discrepancies can be corrected. 

Product audits (film testing, balloon section audits, & documentation audits) are also conducted by 

CSBF QA on a regular basis. Balloon film is approved based on the manufactuer’s QC testing (see 

Sect. 2.1.1, & Ref. 1), but film samples are also required by CSBF (see Sect. 5.1 of Ref. 1). A small 

sampling of each film run is also tested by CSBF QA to double check the film plant results and to 

maintain a historical comparative database for the different films over time. 

Balloon Section Audits (BSA) may also be conducted occasionally (without prior notice) by CSBF QA 

in order to examine a real section of “as-built” balloon for conformance to specs and quality of 

workmanship. Materials may also be tested and dimensions may be checked. For this purpose, CSBF 

will purchase a several gore section of balloon from the production table for examination by CSBF QA 

and the manufacturer’s staff. (Currently, a NASA-provided polarized-light inspection rack is used at 

the plant for this purpose, and prices are previously agreed to in a blanket order arrangement). (See 

BSA Plan, Appendix F). The supplier must certify that the section has been removed in a condition 

that ensures it is representative of the quality of the actual balloon. 

The normal documentation required by CSBF from film production (see Sect. 11.0 of Ref. 1) and 

balloon production (see the following section on documentation, Sect. 6.0) will also be audited on a 

regular basis by CSBF QA to ensure conformance with specs. 

6.0 DOCUMENTATION 

The required balloon film QC data and documentation is listed in Ref. 1 and is required at the time the 

film is NASA-Certified (see Sect. 2.1.1). 

Two sets of the balloon As-Built Spec Sheet (see Section 3.2.6 & Appendix B) and Load/Altitude 

Curve (see Section 3.2.5) will be packed with each balloon; one set affixed to the shipping box and one 

set inside the box. (see Section 4.4.3). Another copy of the As-Built Spec Sheet and the 

manufacturer’s packing slip shall be mailed separately to CSBF Purchasing at the time the balloon is 

shipped. At the same time, the manufacturer will also supply CSBF QA with a data packet of 

engineering, production, and QC information as listed below:




(1) Copy of the Packing Slip 

(2) As-Built Spec Sheet 

(3) Load/Altitude Curve 

(4) Destruct Device Diagram & Instructions 

(5) Balloon Weight Data Sheet 

(6) Engineering Specs & Drawing List 

(7) Balloon Inspection Record 

(8) Seal Tensile Test Record (see Ref. 4, Section 5.0) 

(9) Production and Repair Records - All repairs must be listed by type with Seal/Gore # and 

gore location. 

(10) Film Roll Number Record - All rolls used in the balloon should be listed by roll 

number, Seal/Gore #, and whether used as wall, cap, or duct material. The film 

manufacture date (month/year) or extrusion series # will be recorded along with each 

individual roll number. 

(11) Film PLI records (see Section 2.1.3) 

(12) Traceable certifications for the base fitting threaded fasteners (see Section 2.5.1) - 

Traceable certifications of the strengths of all eyebolts and eyenuts are required. The 

certifications must state the ultimate strength or working load limit and associated 

factor of safety. Traceable certifications of the minimum mechanical properties, i.e., 

yield and ultimate tensile strength of the threaded studs and wedges, are required.




7.0 REVISION RECORD 

REV. DATE SECTION DESCRIPTION OF REVISION




REFERENCES 

1. “CSBF SPECIFICATIONS FOR WINZEN STRATOFILM-372 0.8 MIL BALLOON 

FILM”, COLUMBIA SCIENTIFIC BALLOON FACILITY, 2/16/94. 

2. “CSBF SPECIFICATIONS FOR RAVEN ASTROFILM-E2 0.8 MIL BALLOON FILM”, 

COLUMBIA SCIENTIFIC BALLOON FACILITY, 4/30/92. 

3. NCAR Technical Note, NCAR-TN/IA-69, "AEROSTATIC LIFT OF HELIUM AND 

HYDROGEN IN THE ATMOSPHERE", J.Warren, J.Smalley, 

A.Morris, 

NATIONAL CENTER FOR ATMOSPHERIC RESEARCH, 12/71. 

4. “CSBF SPECIFICATIONS FOR BAND SEALING OF ZERO PRESSURE 

POLYETHYLENE BALLOONS”, COLUMBIA SCIENTIFIC BALLOON FACILITY, 

1/23/95. 

5. NCAR Technical Note, NCAR-TN-25, "BALLOON SHAPES AND STRESSES BELOW 

THE DESIGN ALTITUDE", J.Smalley, NATIONAL CENTER FOR ATMOSPHERIC 

RESEARCH, 12/66.


Tech Spec for Polyethylene Zero pressure Balloon 

QA-400-12-S Rev – A Date- 10/07/09 page 29 of 37 

APPENDIX A 

LDB BALLOON WIRING SCHEMATIC




APPENDIX B 

BALLOON SPECIFICATION SHEET WITH INSTRUCTIONS




BALLOON SPECIFICATION SHEET EXPLANATION 

The CSBF Balloon Number and Identifier shall be typed on the line below "BALLOON 

SPECIFICATIONS FOR". There will be no CSBF Balloon Number on Proposal Spec Sheets. 

CSBF will assign a number for As-Built Spec Sheets. The CSBF Balloon Number shall be 

parenthetically separated in front of the Balloon Identifier as in the following example: 

(910) W29.47-2X-75 

1. CONTRACT INFORMATION 

a. CSBF "Request for Quotation" Number 

b. Vendor Proposal Number 

c. Vendor Proposal Date 

d. CSBF "Purchase Order" Number 

e. CSBF Project Name or Number 

f. Vendor "Work Order" Number 

g. Vendor Work Order Sequence; e.g. the 2 nd balloon of a 3 balloon order would be 

"balloon 2 of 3" 

2. BALLOON INFORMATION 

a. Vendor Name 

b. Vendor's Model Number 

c. Vendor's Serial Number, indicating sequence of production 

d. Date Balloon Production Started, Date Shipping Box Sealed. Example 3/15/80 - 4/5/80 

3. FILM INFORMATION 

a. Film Manufacturer for Shell, Caps, Reefing Sleeve, Inflation Tubes, Ducts and Cable 

Sheath, if any differ, note in 14. 

b. Manufacturer's Name For Film 

c. Date Oldest Roll Used Was Produced, Date Newest Roll Used was Produced (Wall, 

Caps, & Ducts Only), or Film Extrusion Series Numbers. 

4. BALLOON DESIGN 

a. Type: Example: "Natural Shape, Tailored, Taped, Capped" 

b. Balloon Volume to 4 significant figures in millions of cubic feet (MCF) for Volumes > 

1,000,000 cu. ft., 3 significant figures for balloons where 100,000 cu. ft. < Volume < 

1,000,000 cu. ft., or in cubic feet for balloons with volumes < 100,000 cu. ft. 

c. Number of gores 

d. Balloon Theta Value, i.e. the initial wall angle of the balloon at the base measured from 

the balloon center line




e. Gore Widths: Top is where the balloon wall enters the apex fittings, Max is at the 

"equator" of the balloon; and Base is where the balloon wall enters the base fitting. 

These dimensions are to be given in inches. 

f. Height and maximum diameter in feet for the fully deployed balloon. 

g. Nominal payload in pounds 

h. Altitude balloon will float with nominal payload 

i. Minimum and maximum recommended suspended payload weights in pounds 

j. Film gauges for shell and caps in mils 

k. Surface areas of shell and caps in square feet 

l. Theoretical gore length in feet. Cap lengths in even feet. 

m. Cap location with respect to shell: internal or external 

n. Total airborne balloon weight in pounds 

o. Longest and shortest bubble marks in even ten feet increments 

p. Estimated launch roller location (in even feet) with nominal launch payload, 12% free 

lift and a 50 o cone angle. 

5. LOAD TAPES 

a. Type (polyester, Kevlar, etc.) 

b. Load rating in even pounds 

c. Radar Yarn frequency and total (i.e., "EVERY 10TH TAPE; 16 TOTAL) 

6. REEFING SLEEVE 

a. Film gauge of sleeve and tear panel in mils 

b. Gore seam to which sleeve is attached 

c. Distance in even feet that the sleeve stops from the apex 

7. INFLATION TUBES 

a. Quantity of inflation tubes 

b. Distance in even feet from the apex to the center of the inflation tube attachment hole 

c. Gore numbers to which the inflation tubes are attached 

d. Length of inflation tubes in even feet 

e. Film gauge of tubes 

f. Diameter of tube in inches to three significant figures 

8. VENTING DUCTS 

a. Quantity of ducts 

b. Distance in even feet from the balloon base to the base of the duct attachment hole 

c. Type of duct (Horsetail or Attached) 

d. Length of the ducts in even feet from the center of the attachment hole to the end of the 

duct




e. Film gauge in mils 

f. The cross-sectional area of each duct in square feet 

g. Total valving area in square feet 

h. Gore seams to which the ducts are attached. 

9. DESTRUCT DEVICE 

a. Type of rip line used (polyester, Kevlar, etc) and rated strength in pounds 

b. Breakaway line strength in pounds 

c. Distance in even feet from the apex to the uppermost point on the rip panel 

d. Gore on which rip panel is constructed 

10. VALVE CABLE 

a. Quantity of wires in cable (2, 4, etc.), Wire gauge (e.g., AWG #16) 

b. Film gauge of sheath in mils 

c. Gore seam to which sheath is attached 

11. TOP FITTING 

a. Type of fitting (e.g., Plate and Clamp Ring) 

b. Number of valve ports and diameter of each in inches 

c. Outside diameter of finished fitting in inches 

d. Weight of fitting in pounds 

12. BASE FITTING 

a. Type of fitting (e.g., Wedge and Collar) 

b. Load Attachment (e.g., 3/4" - 10 UNC eyenut) 

c. Outside diameter of finished fitting in inches 

d. Weight of fitting in pounds 

13. SHIPPING INFORMATION 

a. Gross shipping weight in pounds 

b. Maximum outside box dimensions in inches 

c. Maximum volume required for shipment; reported to the nearest cubic foot (i.e., 

shipping cube) 

14. OTHER 

a. Any pertinent information or notes not covered in 1 through 13




APPENDIX C 

ASCENT STRESS INDEX DERIVATION / EXPLANATION




APPENDIX D BALLOON BOXING & LABELING CONFIGURATION DRAWINGS



QA-400-12-S Rev – A Date- 10/07/09 page 36 of 37




APPENDIX E 

QUALITY ASSURANCE BALLOON SECTION AUDIT PLAN 

See InfoCentral, document QA-230-01-P, CSBF Balloon Section Audit Plan.

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