GAINS Experiments
An exhaustive set of tests are necessary in preparation for long-term
balloon flights in the stratosphere. Listed below are some of the tests and
experiments performed since the inception of the Shear Directed Balloon project, now known
as GAINS, in September 1995. A majority of the experiments take place in the
laboratory environment, where individual components and various configurations are tested
under simulated flight conditions. Early tethered experimental flights took place at
the NOAA site on Table Mountain, north of Boulder, Colorado. Experimental flights
of 1-48 hour duration have been launched from Tillamook, Oregon
and southern New Mexico, near Socorro and Las Cruces. Click "Press
Release" for a summary of objectives and results for test flights and other
experiments. Technical Documents are restricted to FSL employees, project
contractors and collaborators.
| Experiment |
Type |
Date |
Location |
|
Internal Documents (restricted) |
| Electronics Integration |
Equipment |
1 June 2001 |
FSL, Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| Balloon Deflation Test |
Equipment |
4 May 2001 |
FSL, Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| Pump Spool-up Test |
Equipment |
5 April 2001 |
FSL, Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| Pump Annular Flow Test |
Equipment |
4 April 2001 |
FSL, Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| Backpressure Test |
Equipment |
29 January 2001 |
FSL, Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| Experiment |
Type |
Date |
Location |
|
Internal Documents (restricted) |
| Electronics Integration |
Equipment |
12-16 June 2000 |
GSSL, Tillamook, Oregon |
Press
Release |
Technical Document |
| Apex Controller and Battery Overheating Test |
Equipment |
24 February 2000 |
CMDL Cold Chamber, Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| Turbine Backpressure Test Part 2 |
Equipment |
11 February 2000 |
CMDL Cold Chamber, Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| Turbine Backpressure Test |
Equipment |
1 February 2000 |
CMDL Cold Chamber, Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| Turbine Conditioning Test |
Equipment |
7 January 2000 |
CMDL Cold Chamber, Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| Turbine Conditioning Test |
Equipment |
6 January 2000 |
CMDL Cold Chamber, Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| Apex Controller Test |
Equipment |
5 January 2000 |
CMDL Cold Chamber, Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| Apex Controller Test |
Equipment |
4 January 2000 |
CMDL Cold Chamber, Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| RTV and Terminate Systems Re-test |
Equipment |
7 December 1999 |
CMDL Freezer, Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| RTV and Terminate Systems |
Equipment |
6 December 1999 |
CMDL Freezer, Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| Experiment |
Type |
Date |
Location |
|
Internal Documents (restricted) |
| GPS "Out-of-Box" Test |
Equipment |
24 August 1999 |
Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| RF Operations Test |
Equipment |
3 June 1999 |
Table Mountain site, north of Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| RF Operations and Range Test |
Equipment |
25-28 May 1999 |
DSRC and Table Mountain site, Boulder; Ross Hall, UNC Campus,
Greeley |
|
Technical Document |
| Primary Controller, Laptop Test |
Equipment |
23 April 1999 |
CMDL Freezer, Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| Radio Test |
Equipment |
2 February 1999 |
Table Mountain site, north of Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| Radio Test |
Equipment |
1 February 1999 |
Table Mountain site, north of Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| Radio Test |
Equipment |
5 January 1999 |
CHILL Radar site near Greeley, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| Experiment |
Type |
Date |
Location |
|
Internal Documents (restricted) |
| Spectra™ Cocoon Parachute Test |
2-hour Balloon flight |
30 September 1998 |
Tillamook, Oregon |
Press Release |
Technical Document |
| Destruct System Test |
Equipment |
10 September 1998 |
CMDL Cold Chamber, Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| Battery Drain Test, Part 3 |
Equipment |
9 September 1998 |
CMDL Cold Chamber, Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| Battery Drain Test, Part 2 |
Equipment |
21 August 1998 |
CMDL Cold Chamber, Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| Battery Drain Test |
Equipment |
20 August 1998 |
CMDL Cold Chamber, Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| Video Camera Tethered Test |
Outdoor tethered Balloon |
28 July 1998 |
Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| Destruct System Test |
Equipment |
24 July 1998 |
CMDL Cold Chamber, Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| Video Camera & Destruct System Test |
Equipment |
23 July 1998 |
CMDL Cold Chamber, Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| Video Camera Field of View & Focus Test |
Equipment |
15 July 1998 |
Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| Distance Destruct Test |
Equipment |
9 July 1998 |
Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| Video Camera and Destruct System Test |
Equipment |
17 June 1998 |
CMDL Cold Chamber, Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| Stratospheric Environment Test |
12-hour Balloon flight |
12-13 May 1998 |
Las Cruces, New Mexico |
Press Release |
Technical Document |
| Payload Instrument Test |
Equipment |
28 April 1998 |
CMDL Cold Chamber, Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| Payload Instrument Test |
Equipment |
27 April 1998 |
CMDL Cold Chamber, Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| Battery Drain Test, Part 2 |
Equipment |
23 April 1998 |
CMDL Cold Chamber, Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| Top Instrument Package Test, Part 2 |
Equipment |
16 April 1998 |
CMDL Cold Chamber, Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| Top Instrument Package Test, Part 1 |
Equipment |
15 April 1998 |
CMDL Cold Chamber, Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| Destruct Board Test |
Equipment |
8 April 1998 |
CMDL Cold Chamber, Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| Thermistor Calibration |
Equipment |
7 April 1998 |
CMDL Cold Chamber, Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| Battery Drain Test |
Equipment |
25 March 1998 |
CMDL Cold Chamber, Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| Heat element outgassing |
Equipment |
25 March 1998 |
CMDL Cold Chamber, Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| Stratospheric Environment Test |
7-hour Balloon flight |
24 January 1998 |
Las Cruces, New Mexico |
Press Release |
Technical Document |
| PIII Instrumentation Test |
Equipment |
14 January 1998 |
CMDL Cold Chamber, Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| Frequency Separation Test, Part 5 |
Equipment |
22 December 1997 |
Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| Frequency Separation Test, Part 4 |
Equipment |
19 December 1997 |
Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| Frequency Separation Test, Part 3 |
Equipment |
18 December 1997 |
Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| Destruct, Solar Panel, Animal Beacon & Glycol Antifreeze Test |
Equipment |
9 December 1997 |
CMDL Cold Chamber, Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| Frequency Separation Test, Part 2 |
Equipment |
4 December 1997 |
Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| Frequency Separation Test, Part 1 |
Equipment |
26 November 1997 |
Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| P-II Instrumentation Test, Part 3 |
Equipment |
21 October 1997 |
CMDL Cold Chamber, Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| P-II Instrumentation Test, Part 2 |
Equipment |
20 October 1997 |
CMDL Cold Chamber, Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| P-II Instrumentation Test, Part 1 |
Equipment |
17 October 1997 |
CMDL Cold Chamber, Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| Experiment |
Type |
Date |
Location |
|
Internal Documents (restricted) |
| GPS Performance Test, Part 3 |
Equipment |
5 September 1997 |
Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| GPS Performance Test, Part 2 |
Equipment |
4 September 1997 |
Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| Inflation & Timer Destruct Device Test |
Equipment |
30 July 1997 |
Vance Brand Airport Hanger 25, Longmont,
Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| Inflation & Timer Destruct Device Test |
Equipment |
29 July 1997 |
Vance Brand Airport Hanger 25, Longmont,
Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| GPS Performance Test, Part 1 |
Equipment |
23-25 July 1997 |
Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| Outdoor Pressure vs. Mass Test |
Equipment |
25 May 1997 |
Tillamook, Oregon |
|
Technical Document |
| Outdoor Inflation Test |
Outdoor Tethered Balloon |
25 May 1997 |
Tillamook, Oregon |
|
Technical Document |
| Indoor Inflation Test |
Indoor Tethered Balloon |
22 May 1997 |
Tillamook, Oregon |
|
Technical Document |
| Tone-encoded Remote Destruct Device Test |
Equipment |
20 May 1997 |
Tillamook, Oregon |
|
Technical Document |
| Sky Hawk Radio Test |
Equipment |
19 May 1997 |
Tillamook, Oregon |
|
Technical Document |
| Loss of Lift Test |
Indoor Tethered Balloon |
13 May 1997 |
Vance Brand Airport Hanger 25, Longmont,
Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| Distance Radio & Recovery Test |
Equipment |
9 May 1997 |
Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| Distance Radio Test |
Equipment |
7 May 1997 |
Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| Loss of Lift Test |
Indoor Tethered Balloon |
2 May 1997 |
Vance Brand Airport Hanger 25, Longmont, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| Setting Free Lift & Float Altitude, 4G/1R Pumpdown, Helium
Destruct Devices, Parachuting Shell, and Pre-flight Shakedown of P-II-LF w/P-I
Instrumentation Test |
Outdoor Tethered Balloon |
18 April 1997 |
Table Mountain site, north of Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| Free Lift Setting, Pumpdown, Destruct,
Parachuting, and Pre-flight Shakedown Test |
Outdoor Tethered Balloon |
14 April 1997 |
Table Mountain site, north of Boulder,
Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| Setting Free Lift & Float Altitude, 4G/1R Pumpdown, Helium
Destruct Devices, Parachuting Shell, and Pre-flight Shakedown of P-II-LF w/P-I
Instrumentation Test |
Outdoor Tethered Balloon |
11 April 1997 |
Table Mountain site, north of Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| Setting Free Lift & Float Altitude, 4G/1R Pumpdown, and
Pre-flight Shakedown Test |
Outdoor Tethered Balloon |
7 April 1997 |
Table Mountain site, north of Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| P-II Shell Conditioning |
Indoor Tethered Balloon |
1-5 April 1997 |
Vance Brand Airport Hangar 25, Longmont, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| P-II-LF Destruct Devices & Temperature-Solar Measurements of
Spectra™ |
Outdoor Tethered Balloon |
18 March 1997 |
Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| ORBCOMM Communications Test |
Equipment |
6 March 1997 |
Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| Pre-flight Shakedown Test |
Outdoor Tethered Balloon |
11 February 1997 |
Table Mountain site, north of Boulder,
Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| Helium Diffusion Test (Hi-Float Treated
Bladder) |
Equipment |
4 February - 7 March 1997 |
Vance Brand Airport Hangar 25, Longmont,
Colorado |
|
Technical
Document |
| Pre-flight Shakedown of P-II-LF w/instrumentation |
Outdoor Tethered Balloon, Equipment, Crew Preparedness |
1 February 1997 |
|
|
Technical Document |
| Pre-flight Shakedown Test |
Outdoor Tethered Balloon |
30 January 1997 |
Table Mountain site, north of Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| Conversion Equation Determination for AT, HT, & IT Thermistors |
Equipment |
28 January 1997 |
Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| Helium Diffusion Test (Untreated Bladder) |
Equipment |
23-28 January 1997 |
Vance Brand Airport Hangar 25, Longmont, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| Cold Hardiness Test |
Equipment |
14 January 1997 |
Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| Cold Hardiness Test |
Equipment |
10 January 1997 |
Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| Cold Hardiness Test |
Equipment |
7 January 1997 |
Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| Cold Hardiness Test |
Equipment |
19 December 1996 |
Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| Ringo Antenna Tuning (SWR) |
Equipment |
21 November 1996 |
Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| P-II-LF Pump-down (4 Gillians) Test |
Outdoor Tethered Balloon |
21 November 1996 |
Table Mountain site, north of Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| P-II-LF Pump-down (2 Gillians) Test |
Outdoor Tethered Balloon |
13 November 1996 |
Table Mountain site, north of Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| P-II-LF #101 Modulus Measurement |
Indoor Tethered Balloon |
24 October 1996 |
Table Mountain site, north of Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| P-II-LF #101 Shell Conditioning |
Indoor Tethered Balloon |
9 October 1996 |
NCAR/JeffCo Airport Hangar, Boulder County,
Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| Experiment |
Type |
Date |
Location |
|
Internal Documents (restricted) |
| P-II-LF Balloon Vehicle Inflation |
Indoor Tethered Balloon |
16 September 1996 |
NCAR/JeffCo Airport Hangar, Boulder County,
Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| Nighttime Low-Wind, Low Radiation Test |
Equipment |
2 August 1996 |
Table Mountain site, north of Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| Instrument Temperature Sensor Intercomparison
Test |
Equipment |
23 July 1996 |
Table Mountain site, north of Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| Pump-down & Instrument Test |
Equipment |
10 July 1996 |
Table Mountain site, north of Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| Pump & Valve Test |
Equipment |
3 July 1996 |
Table Mountain site, north of Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| FSL-2 Polyester Balloon Shakedown |
Equipment, Crew Preparedness |
27 June 1996 |
Table Mountain site, north of Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| Shakedown |
Equipment, Crew Preparedness |
20 March 1996 |
Table Mountain site, north of Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| Pump & Vent Tests |
Equipment |
6 March 1996 |
Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| Ascent Test |
Indoor Tethered Balloon |
28 February 1996 |
NCAR/JeffCo Airport Hangar, Boulder County,
Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| Temperature Calibration |
Equipment |
2 February 1996 |
Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| |
Indoor Tethered Balloon |
5 December 1995 |
Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| Pump Flow Test |
Equipment |
1 December 1995 |
Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| Temperature & Pressure Sensor Calibration |
Equipment |
1 December 1995 |
Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| Temperature & Pressure Sensor Calibration |
Equipment |
29 November 1995 |
Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| Vehicle & Base Station Radio Test |
Equipment |
28 November 1995 |
Boulder, Colorado & Vicinity |
|
Technical Document |
| Vehicle & Base Station Radio Test |
Equipment |
8 November 1995 |
Boulder, Colorado & Vicinity |
|
Technical Document |
| Vehicle & Base Station Radio Test |
Equipment |
6 November 1995 |
Boulder, Colorado & Vicinity |
|
Technical Document |
| Vehicle & Base Station Radio Test |
Equipment |
3 November 1995 |
Boulder, Colorado & Vicinity |
|
Technical Document |
| Vehicle & Base Station Radio Tests |
Equipment |
1 November 1995 |
Boulder, Colorado & Vicinity |
|
Technical Document |
| Vehicle & Base Station Radio Tests |
Equipment |
25 October 1995 |
Boulder, Colorado & Vicinity |
|
Technical Document |
| Experiment |
Type |
Date |
Location |
|
Internal Documents (restricted) |
| Gillian Pump Test |
Equipment |
20 September 1995 |
Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| Balloon Pump-down Test, Flight and Recovery
Dress Rehearsal |
Outdoor Tethered balloon, Crew Preparedness |
12 September 1995 |
Table Mountain site, north of Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| Airborne Radio Test |
Equipment |
6 September 1995 |
Table Mountain site, north of Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| Superpressure Measurement Test |
Equipment |
26 August 1995 |
Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| Shell Conditioning |
Equipment |
23 August 1995 |
Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| TBNG Site Evaluation |
Survey |
16 August 1995 |
Thunder Basin National Grasslands, Wyoming |
|
Technical Document |
| ASF 7012 Pump Test |
Equipment |
8 August 1995 |
Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| 416.9 & 418.575 MHz Radio, Animal Beacon
Test |
Equipment |
8 August 1995 |
Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| Chase & Recovery Shakedown and
Find-the-Animal-Beacon Test |
Equipment, Crew Preparedness |
4 August 1995 |
Boulder County, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| Rotron Experimental Blower Test |
Equipment |
3 August 1995 |
Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| Animal Beacon Test |
Equipment |
28 July 1995 |
Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| 416.9 MHz Radio Test |
Equipment |
26 July 1995 |
Flagstaff Mountain, Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| Helium Safety Release Test |
Equipment |
25 July 1995 |
Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
| |
Outdoor Tethered Balloon |
21 July 1995 |
Table Mountain site, north of Boulder, Colorado |
|
Technical Document |
Overview
Concept Trajectories Publications
Personnel Plans
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Internal
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