lighter-than-air vehicles - Defense Innovation Marketplace

Aerostat Test Bed (ATB)Table 2: ATB Program OverviewVehicle Class: AerostatMission Set: Test bedOrganization: Army SMDBLPrimary Contractors: Quantum Research Intl.Program Start: 2007Technology Readiness Level (TRL): 7Figure 8: Underside of the ATB at Altitude 15The objective of the ATB is to: (i) plan,provide, and operate aerostats as highaltitudesurrogate platforms in support ofpayload development and testing (e.g., sensorsand communications), and (ii) provideand operate aerostats as elevatedcommunications and/or sensor platforms insupport of DoD, homeland defense, andother regional and national experiments,exercises, and demonstrations. 16 Theaerostats provide a safe and cost-effectivetest bed for lifting payloads before testingthose payloads at high-altitude on expensivestratospheric vehicles. 16The Army Space and Missile Defense BattleLab (SMDBL) makes available and providesthe ATB as a national resource for test andevaluation events for a variety of payloadsduring development and testing (i.e., sensorsand communications). This service isintended to be performed with simplecoordination efforts, and the Battle Labmanages all logistics associated with ATBoperations, including deployment, labor,helium and parts, electrical power and fiberoptic connectivity up the tether to thepayload bay. ATB support is low cost andeasy to coordinate. Customers who seek totest a payload at high-altitude engage withSMDBL for use of the ATB, and SMDBLworks to coordinate, organize and run a testevent. SMDBL operators will support theintellectual capital of partner organizationsto further the development of the highaltituderegime and partner objectives. 17SMDBL owns two complete aerostatsystems, which comprise its ATB operation:a Lindstrand GA-019 (28,000 cu. ft.) and anAerostar/Raven TIF 25K (25,000 cu. ft.).Each system is equipped with envelope,mooring gantry trailers, and logisticsservices (e.g., operations center supporttrailer, power generators, and tow vehicles).The two systems can operate as a combinedsetup or independently at different locations.The systems feature an easy-to-install andintegrate (power and fiber optics) payloadinterface to enable rapid mounting andpayload elevation to altitude. Depending onthe size and scope of the test event, the ATBrequires 3 to 12 operators. The primarytesting facility is located in ColoradoSprings but is able to deploy anywhere inCONUS (contiguous United States). TheLindstrand aerostat system is C-130transportable and, therefore, has anexpanded deployment range. SMDBL has13