Driftsonde System Overview
Apex fitting with inflation tube Balloon Envelope Vent Duct Base Fitting
INFLATION OF POLYETHYLENE BALLOON
Polyethylene balloon being readied for launch
Flight Train Load attachment lines Parachute Satellite antenna Balloon Cut down Shock absorber Sonde receiving antenna GPS antenna Gondola
STANDARD ATMOSPHERE PRESSURE VS ALTITUDE
STANDARD ATMOSPHERES - TEMPERATURE VS ALTITUDE POLAR TROPICAL STANDARD
Gondola Features Styrofoam electronics enclosure Black surface coating Selective transmission material (5 sides) Electronics package Sonde drop plate with resistor Dropsonde (24) Ballast dispenser Ethafoam sonde housing
TIME VS ALTITUDE AND BALLAST, 10% CUT
TIME VS ALTITUDE AND BALLAST, 0% CUT
Sonde
DROPSONDE FALL VELOCITY
DROPSONDE FALL TIME
Proposed Test Flight Program TestOverLocationDate Durati on Objectives 1land Tillamook, OR April hr Altitude control, gondola thermal control, power system capacity, satellite communications (recover package) 2land Tillamook, OR April hrSame as 1 3 ocea n Tillamook, OR late May hr Same as above plus test dropsonde dispenser and dropsondes (8 sondes, 4/day) 4 ocea n Tillamook, OR late May hrSame as 3 5 ocea n Tillamook, OR late May days Complete system check out with 24 sondes (4/day)
Blimp Hangar at Tillamook, OR
Initial Launch Time: 00 UTC 06 Feb launch sites Deployment Interval: 12hr Coverage at: 00UTC 11 Feb 1999 Simulated Driftsonde sounding coverage at one assimilation time after 5 days of deployment from launch sites along the Asian Pacific rim Drift Level: 100 mb