lighter-than-air vehicles - Defense Innovation Marketplace

could be separated from the balloon and returned to the ground via a parachute and globalpositioning system (GPS) tracking unit for recovering the payload if necessary. 63Steerable Balloon DevelopmentA few limited ventures by the DoD have attempted to develop steerable balloons. The primaryobjective of these steerable balloon efforts has been to develop a balloon with station-keepingability that can provide capabilities similar to those desired from conventional high-altitudeairships. None of the DoD programs have successfully fielded a steerable balloon under DoDfunding. The Air Force’s Near Space Maneuvering Vehicle (NSMV) effort was ended in 2005,after a crash during a flight demonstration. The High Altitude Shuttle System has been assumedby NASA, but is focused primarily on the PRV. The StarLight program sponsored by NAVAIRexpended its funding without completing a demonstrator in October of 2011.Near-Space Maneuvering Vehicle (NSMV)The NSMV was a concept developed by JP Aerospace for the Air Force Space Battle Lab (SBL).The program utilized technology based on JPAerospace’s Ascender vehicle. The vehicleconsists of two large cylindrical balloonsconnected on one end to form a 175 ft. V-shaped vehicle (Figure 59). The payload andpropulsion system were suspended betweenthe two cylinders. 56 The program objectivewas to provide a communications relayplatform at altitudes above 65,000 feet. Theprogram encountered technical problems withthe propulsion system, which caused redesignsand failed launches. The Air Force decided toend the program in 2005. 63Figure 59: NSMV Balloon Floating in Hangar 65High Altitude Shuttle System (HASS)HASS (Figure 60) was developed by Near SpaceCorporation (NSC) (also operates as GSSL, Inc.) ofOregon. The effort was funded in the 2009 fiscal yearby the Army Missile Defense Systems and Integrationand supported by the Army SMDC Space Battle Lab. 66Funding for development by the Army ended in 2010,but NSC is continuing development in conjunctionwith NASA for commercial applications. The systemcombines NSC’s Tactical Balloon Launch System(TBLS) with a high-altitude unmanned shuttle thatserves as the PRV. 67 The TBLS allows the system tobe launched with only a few persons in winds up to 30kts. Flight altitudes and trajectories can be controlledwith modifications on the ground prior to deployment Figure 60: High-Altitude Shuttle System 67A-3