2001 EARTH SCIENCE VIDEOTAPES |
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Tape Title | Record ID | Date Produced | TRT: |
Synopsis |
| THE ULTRA-LONG DURATION BALLOON GIVES NASA A FORWARD LOOK TO FUTURE SCIENCE EXPLORATION | G01-004 | 01/10/01 | 00:16:12 | Set to launch January 16, 2001 at 6 a.m. from Alice Springs, Australia, the new Ultra Long Duration Balloon (ULDB) is NASA's answer to an economical way to study space and Earth science. Balloons have been widely used for a variety of research missions, but can stay aloft only for a few hours or a few days. With new computer technologies, high-tech materials and advanced designs, these balloons will be able to fly for up to 100 days, opening a new frontier for high-atitude research.
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TAPE CONTENTS: |
| ITEM (1): ULDB Beauty Pass Animation - This launch is the first global test flight of the full-scale Ultra Long Duration Balloon (ULDB) which will fly at 115,000 feet (35 km), three to four times higher than passenger planes fly. This test flight will last about two weeks and will circumnavigate the globe. The ULDB is designed to support missions for up to 100 days.
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| ITEM (2): Launch And Descent of The ULDB Animation - The full scale ULDB is the largest single-cell balloon ever flown. Unlike current scientific balloons it is completely sealed, as the gas is not vented to relieve pressure. The new super-pressure balloon can then maintain lift, size and shape and not lose significant altitude due to atmospheric influences. At launch, the balloon is partially inflated with helium, which expands as it rises, inflating the balloon. When fully inflated, the massive ULDB will just fit in a domed football stadium. The balloon system will come back down to Earth under a controlled descent.
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| ITEM (3): The ULDB Science Payload Animation - The ULDB is designed to float above 99% of Earth's atmosphere and at the edge of space, offering a very low cost option to scientists studying deep space and Earth. It will enable scientists to look into deep space and observe celestial events such as cosmis rays, anti-matter, and supernovas. A payload may one day be launched to another planet, sending visuals of its surface or taking atmospheric data of temperatures, magnetic anomalies or air pressures. Scientists will command the instrument and receive data on a home computer via the Internet. This ULDB will be carrying a 3,500 lb (1.588 kg) payload and may be visible from the ground with telescopes.
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| ITEM (4): Altitude Comparison Animation - Day and night temperatures, along with barometric pressure differences affect the altitude of current long duration balloons because they are 'open systems'. The ULDB is a 'closed system' enabling it to maintain a more constant altitude. Conventional high-altitude scientific balloon flights typically last a few days to a week, because temperature changes from day to night ultimately cause the balloon to lose altitude.
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| ITEM (5): Size Comparison Graphic - This graphic shows a comparison between the ULDB at launch and altitude with the Washington Monument in Washington, D.C. The ULDB is approximately 500 feet tall and consists of 20 acres of a special polyethylene composite material and 20 miles of seams.to overall annual temperatures.
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| ITEM (6): Small Prototype of Today's ULDB - The ULDB has a pumpkin-shaped design and is the largest single-cell, super-pressure balloon ever flown. At launch it is partially inflated with helium with the balloon expanding as it rises. The material used was developed specifically for this project and is twice as strong as materials used in the past. The skin is made up of three layers: a hard, middle layer and a soft, inner/outer layer. The longitudinal tendons are braided rope cords and run from the top of the balloon to the bottom to handle the pressure load. They are made out of zylon, the strongest and lightest fiber known to man.
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| ITEM (7): NASA Tests Design Concept For ULDB B-ROLL - A test flight was successfully conducted on October 23, 1999 from St. Sumner, N.M. of a pumpkin-shaped balloon that was one-tenth the volume of the ULDB. Footage includes preparation and launch of the nearly half-sized prototype.
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| ITEM (8): Material Testing For The ULDB B-Roll - New composite materials were developed specifically for this mission. The new material must withstand environmentalstresses the balloon will encounter at 115,000 feet for 100 days. These stresses include temperature variations, pressure,
and ultraviolet radiation.
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| ITEM (9): Manufacturing Methods Test Balloon's Skin - Inflating a 30-foot diameter Ultra Long Duration Balloon model to its bursting point gives engineers insight into the durability and strength of balloon manufacturing methods.
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| ITEM (10): Preparing The ULDB Payload B-Roll
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| ITEM (11): Historical Launch of a Traditional Tear-Shaped Balloon B-Roll - The typical zero-pressure balloons have a smooth surface and look like upside-down teardrops. Normal balloons are much smaller, vary in altitude by several thousands of feet, can only stay afloat for short periods of time, and carry much smaller payloads.
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| ITEM (12): Interview With Steve Smith, ULDB Project Manager
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| ITEM (13): Interview With Henry Cathhey, Balloon Vehicle Manager, ULDB Program
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| ITEM (14): Interview With Debra Ann Fairbrother, Planetary Balloon Manager
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Earth Science Gallery