Author Topic: World View (stratospheric balloons)  (Read 28664 times)

Offline sanman

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World View (stratospheric balloons)
« on: 10/26/2014 01:31 am »



http://worldviewexperience.com/

Founded by Taber McCallum and Jane Poynter of Paragon SDC, World View is planning to offer balloon rides to the edge of space, potentially allowing customers to skydive ("space jump") back to Earth from unprecedentedly high altitudes:

http://www.parabolicarc.com/2014/10/24/world-view-acquires-technology-record-breaking-jump/

What are the prospects for this market?

The technology seems doable, as demonstrated by Alan Eustace thru his space jump, using equipment apparently supplied by Paragon.

If this activity takes off - certainly, skydiving is a popular enough sport - then how could it evolve? What could it lead to? What impact could it have on technologies used in genuine orbital spaceflight?

« Last Edit: 02/07/2023 02:47 am by gongora »

Offline docmordrid

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Re: World View (balloon rides to the edge of space)
« Reply #1 on: 10/26/2014 06:00 am »
The first time I heard of this concept was when Rick Tumlinson and Dr. Jonathan Clark (NASA flight surgeon,  husband of the late Laurel Clark - Columbia) proposed it through Orbital Outfitters in 2007. Written up in Popular Science and elsewhere. It was proposed as both joyride and as a path to a means of bailing out of failing spacecraft during re-entry. Then it popped up in the 2009 Star Trek movie.

http://www.popsci.com/military-aviation-space/article/2007-06/high-dive
« Last Edit: 10/26/2014 06:02 am by docmordrid »
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Offline Helodriver

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Re: World View (balloon rides to the edge of space)
« Reply #2 on: 10/26/2014 06:27 am »
Was supposed to show up in the 1994 Star Trek Generations movie, but the scene was cut. Youtube has a rough version of it.


Offline Nomadd

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Re: World View (balloon rides to the edge of space)
« Reply #3 on: 10/26/2014 12:56 pm »
 Not sure if I'd call 40% of the way to space the "edge". The price seems kind of extreme. I don't think you'll be seeing long lines.
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Offline Jim

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Re: World View (balloon rides to the edge of space)
« Reply #4 on: 10/26/2014 01:09 pm »
Wouldn't even consider this part of "spaceflight" and therefore a topic for this forum.

Offline docmordrid

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Re: World View (balloon rides to the edge of space)
« Reply #5 on: 10/26/2014 02:15 pm »
Commercial suborbital spaceflight is clearly covered by this forum. If this has any potential to become a suborbital  bailout capability, as Orbital Outfitters proposed in 2007, how isn't it a viable subject?
« Last Edit: 10/26/2014 02:18 pm by docmordrid »
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Offline ncb1397

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Re: World View (balloon rides to the edge of space)
« Reply #6 on: 10/26/2014 02:27 pm »
Karman line is an arbitrary distinction. What is the likelihood that the line between the atmosphere and the void(that doesn't really exist) just happens to be exactly 1/100th the distance between the equator and the north pole.

Offline Jim

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Re: World View (balloon rides to the edge of space)
« Reply #7 on: 10/26/2014 03:10 pm »
Commercial suborbital spaceflight is clearly covered by this forum.

Suborbital by powered vehicles and not balloons.
« Last Edit: 10/26/2014 03:11 pm by Jim »

Offline arachnitect

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Re: World View (balloon rides to the edge of space)
« Reply #8 on: 10/26/2014 03:39 pm »
We've had a Worldview thread for a while

http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=33133.0

Offline docmordrid

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Re: World View (balloon rides to the edge of space)
« Reply #9 on: 10/26/2014 04:17 pm »
Commercial suborbital spaceflight is clearly covered by this forum.

Suborbital by powered vehicles and not balloons.

Paragon SDC's StratEx page expressly states that one of the goals of this program is spacecraft crew egress. Jane Poynter, Pentagon's Chair and CEO, is co-founder of World View.

http://www.paragonsdc.com/stratex/

Quote
>
Such a system has wide-ranging applications for; the study of the science of the stratosphere, development of means for spaceship crew egress, the study of dynamics of bodies at Mach 1, new high altitude aircraft suits, and setting of records for space diving, sailplaning and ballooning.
>
« Last Edit: 10/26/2014 04:24 pm by docmordrid »
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Offline sanman

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Re: World View (balloon rides to the edge of space)
« Reply #10 on: 10/26/2014 04:25 pm »
Even if balloon flight isn't spaceflight, it does have the potential to be used for testing of equipment, and manned balloon flights could perhaps be used to man-rate some technologies by putting them in a near-space environment. When Baumgartner did his space dive, wasn't it mentioned that some of the data being gathered would be used to benefit spacesuit technology? Paragon themselves are specialists in ECLSS, aren't they?

Offline Jim

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Re: World View (balloon rides to the edge of space)
« Reply #11 on: 10/26/2014 04:30 pm »
Even if balloon flight isn't spaceflight, it does have the potential to be used for testing of equipment, and manned balloon flights could perhaps be used to man-rate some technologies by putting them in a near-space environment.

Nothing that couldn't be done in a vacuum chamber which is cheaper and safer.

Offline Jim

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Re: World View (balloon rides to the edge of space)
« Reply #12 on: 10/26/2014 04:32 pm »
development of means for spaceship crew egress,

Highly improbable usage.  Much like the shuttle egress, which was more placation vs actual crew safety

Offline docmordrid

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Re: World View (balloon rides to the edge of space)
« Reply #13 on: 10/26/2014 04:36 pm »
Even if balloon flight isn't spaceflight, it does have the potential to be used for testing of equipment, and manned balloon flights could perhaps be used to man-rate some technologies by putting them in a near-space environment.

Nothing that couldn't be done in a vacuum chamber which is cheaper and safer.

Vacuum chambers aren't the really real world. Even suborbital suit re-entries may have unexpected thermal effects to be tested, regardless if the occupant is wetware or an insteumented test dummy. Sooner or later you have to test like you fly
« Last Edit: 10/26/2014 04:42 pm by docmordrid »
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Offline Jim

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Re: World View (balloon rides to the edge of space)
« Reply #14 on: 10/26/2014 04:42 pm »

1.  Vacuum chambers aren't the really real world.
Even suborbital suit re-entries may have unexpected thermal effects to be tested, regardless if the occupant is wetware or an insteumented test dummy.
2.  Sooner or later you have to test like you fly®

1.  Neither are balloon flights
2.  and using balloon flights for testing orbital suits is quite the opposite of test like you fly.

Offline Eerie

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Re: World View (balloon rides to the edge of space)
« Reply #15 on: 10/26/2014 05:14 pm »
Karman line is an arbitrary distinction. What is the likelihood that the line between the atmosphere and the void(that doesn't really exist) just happens to be exactly 1/100th the distance between the equator and the north pole.

Kármán line is not arbitrary. And you could find it out in 15 seconds by checking Wikipedia.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%C3%A1rm%C3%A1n_line

Offline docmordrid

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Re: World View (balloon rides to the edge of space)
« Reply #16 on: 10/26/2014 05:40 pm »

1.  Vacuum chambers aren't the really real world.
Even suborbital suit re-entries may have unexpected thermal effects to be tested, regardless if the occupant is wetware or an insteumented test dummy.
2.  Sooner or later you have to test like you fly®

1.  Neither are balloon flights
2.  and using balloon flights for testing orbital suits is quite the opposite of test like you fly.

Balloons are a lot close to a suborbital dive than a vacuum chamber, and design iteration gets them to their goal. Different strokes.
.
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Offline ncb1397

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Re: World View (balloon rides to the edge of space)
« Reply #17 on: 10/26/2014 06:00 pm »
Karman line is an arbitrary distinction. What is the likelihood that the line between the atmosphere and the void(that doesn't really exist) just happens to be exactly 1/100th the distance between the equator and the north pole.

Kármán line is not arbitrary. And you could find it out in 15 seconds by checking Wikipedia.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%C3%A1rm%C3%A1n_line

Karman line is the line where a lifting body vehicle will have to travel faster than orbital velocity to support itself. What are the assumptions present within this calculation? Does the Karman line reflect recent advances in material science like carbon fiber that allows you to build larger lighter wings or potentially future exotic materials like carbon nanotubes. And why this should be used for the defination of outer space is another arbitrary benchmark. We could just as easily use an atmospheric density of 1 particle per cubic micrometer which would be just as arbitrary.

I would suggest that if this doesn't qualify as a space topic, neither does a rover on Mars. Perhaps the cruise phase of the vehicle that delivered the payload but the rover is within a planetary atmosphere.
« Last Edit: 10/26/2014 06:03 pm by ncb1397 »

Offline R7

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Re: World View (balloon rides to the edge of space)
« Reply #18 on: 10/26/2014 06:10 pm »
Kármán line is not arbitrary. And you could find it out in 15 seconds by checking Wikipedia.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%C3%A1rm%C3%A1n_line

And if you read the article it confirms it's arbitrary. The definition neglects centrifugal force and contains wing loading, a value which can and surely has improved since the 1950s due to advances in material sciences.

Oh well, nbc1397 beat me to it.
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Offline A_M_Swallow

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Re: World View (balloon rides to the edge of space)
« Reply #19 on: 10/26/2014 06:28 pm »
Can the 'capsule' and ECLSS work in the vacuum of space?

Could it form part of a Moon or Mars vehicle?

Offline Jim

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Re: World View (balloon rides to the edge of space)
« Reply #20 on: 10/26/2014 08:13 pm »

I would suggest that if this doesn't qualify as a space topic, neither does a rover on Mars. Perhaps the cruise phase of the vehicle that delivered the payload but the rover is within a planetary atmosphere.

A rover on Mars is off planet and is in "space".  Balloons are still within the earth's atmosphere.  A mars balloon would be a worthy discussion. 

Offline sanman

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Re: World View (balloon rides to the edge of space)
« Reply #21 on: 10/27/2014 03:31 am »
Fine, it's not "real spaceflight", just like sending people to live in some isolated enclosure in Antarctica or on the upper slopes of Mauna Loa in Hawaii isn't a "real Mars mission". But neither do they take away from real spaceflight activities, and might in some ways whet the appetites of people for the real thing. Floating up so high, you've got just about everything except the weightlessness.

Since JP Aerospace showcased their ballooning expertise with their Ascender idea, I wonder if they'd consider offering these kinds of balloon flights to would-be space tourists.

Offline QuantumG

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Re: World View (balloon rides to the edge of space)
« Reply #22 on: 10/27/2014 03:34 am »
A rover on Mars is off planet and is in "space". 

We're all in space, man. Did you perhaps mean "outer space". :)

I'm glad that XCOR (and perhaps Virgin Galactic too) have decided to start flying (and selling seats on) vehicles they can actually achieve, even if it doesn't fit some arbitrary definition. If customers are willing to buy, sell it to them!

Human spaceflight is basically just LARPing now.

Offline Prober

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Re: World View (balloon rides to the edge of space)
« Reply #23 on: 10/27/2015 03:21 pm »
Guess some news has come out on this ...

World View successfully completed a major milestone test flight on October 24th, 2015, keeping the company on track to meet its 2017 goal for manned private flights to the edge of space. This test flight carried a scaled down, replica spacecraft to a final altitude of 100,475 feet (30,624 meters), successfully marking the transition from sub-scale testing to a historical next stage of development – full scale testing.

http://worldviewexperience.com/photos/
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Offline catdlr

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Re: World View (balloon rides to the edge of space)
« Reply #24 on: 10/27/2015 06:54 pm »
October 24, 2015: Milestone 10% Scale Test Flight

Published on Oct 26, 2015
World View, the commercial spaceflight company, has successfully completed a major milestone test flight, keeping the company on track to meet its 2017 goal for manned private flights to the edge of space. This test flight carried a scaled down, replica spacecraft to a final altitude of 100,475 feet (30624 meters), successfully marking the transition from sub-scale testing to a historical next stage of development – full scale testing.

World View is a space experience launching in 2017 that presents a drastically different approach to the adrenaline-laced rocket ride we think of today. World View will have its Voyagers, planet earth's new class of discerning explorers, gliding peacefully along the edge of space for a two-hour sailing-like experience within a luxury capsule transported via high-altitude balloon.

WEBSITE:
http://www.worldviewexperience.com



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Offline meekGee

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Re: World View (balloon rides to the edge of space)
« Reply #25 on: 10/28/2015 06:32 pm »
October 24, 2015: Milestone 10% Scale Test Flight

Published on Oct 26, 2015
World View, the commercial spaceflight company, has successfully completed a major milestone test flight, keeping the company on track to meet its 2017 goal for manned private flights to the edge of space. This test flight carried a scaled down, replica spacecraft to a final altitude of 100,475 feet (30624 meters), successfully marking the transition from sub-scale testing to a historical next stage of development – full scale testing.

World View is a space experience launching in 2017 that presents a drastically different approach to the adrenaline-laced rocket ride we think of today. World View will have its Voyagers, planet earth's new class of discerning explorers, gliding peacefully along the edge of space for a two-hour sailing-like experience within a luxury capsule transported via high-altitude balloon.

WEBSITE:
http://www.worldviewexperience.com



The video skipped the adrenaline-laced landing...
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Offline Prober

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Re: World View (balloon rides to the edge of space)
« Reply #26 on: 10/29/2015 09:46 pm »
Think we re going to need a bigger balloon  :D
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Offline Kansan52

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Re: World View (balloon rides to the edge of space)
« Reply #27 on: 10/29/2015 10:02 pm »
What's it look like after it lands?

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Re: World View (balloon rides to the edge of space)
« Reply #28 on: 01/21/2017 10:26 am »
Quote
One of the @WorldViewSpace 'Stratolites'  which take scientific equipment to 100,000ft. Behind, a prototype full size passenger module.

https://twitter.com/spenley/status/822735582145220608

Spencer Kelly is the lead presenter of the BBC's technology/gadget magazine show called Click. As he appears to have visited Workd View, I imagine they'll be featured in a forthcoming show.

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Re: World View (balloon rides to the edge of space)
« Reply #29 on: 01/21/2017 11:42 am »
Quote
Would you pay $75,000 for a balloon ride to the edge of space? We got exclusive access to @WorldViewSpace in Tucson, AZ. Only on @BBCClick

https://twitter.com/nickkwek/status/822765896221491201

Offline JAFO

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Re: World View (balloon rides to the edge of space)
« Reply #30 on: 01/21/2017 07:01 pm »
It's an ego/adventure thing. People gotta spend their money some way, for 75k you could have a 1 in 4 chance of dying while climbing Everest, or you could do this and put some money into the aerospace industry.

It's not Space, but it's Aerospace. I've got no problem with it being on the forum.
« Last Edit: 01/21/2017 07:06 pm by JAFO »
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Offline meekGee

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Re: World View (balloon rides to the edge of space)
« Reply #31 on: 01/21/2017 07:53 pm »
It's an ego/adventure thing. People gotta spend their money some way, for 75k you could have a 1 in 4 chance of dying while climbing Everest, or you could do this and put some money into the aerospace industry.

It's not Space, but it's Aerospace. I've got no problem with it being on the forum.
Hey, and it gives suborbital firms like VG something to look down on.

Win-win!
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Offline Welsh Dragon

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Re: World View (balloon rides to the edge of space)
« Reply #32 on: 01/22/2017 02:50 pm »
It's on BBC News24 now. Missed the start myself.

Offline A_M_Swallow

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Re: World View (balloon rides to the edge of space)
« Reply #33 on: 01/23/2017 08:27 am »
It's on BBC News24 now. Missed the start myself.

The World View balloon was in the News 24 program Click January 22, 2017 issue.

In the UK this can be seen for the next 11 months using BBC iPlayer service.

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Re: World View (balloon rides to the edge of space)
« Reply #34 on: 02/28/2017 08:57 pm »
Quote
Great feature story on World View by @SPACEdotcom! Check it out here:
http://bit.ly/2mxmSHG

https://twitter.com/worldviewspace/status/836318937625178112

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Re: World View (balloon rides to the edge of space)
« Reply #35 on: 03/31/2017 05:36 pm »
Quote
Click here for a 360 VR tour of Biosphere 2, our facility, a WV test flight, and trip to the edge of space! http://on.mash.to/2ojrpBy @Within

https://twitter.com/worldviewspace/status/847842942383398913

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Re: World View (balloon rides to the edge of space)
« Reply #36 on: 12/20/2017 07:56 pm »
Quote
Balloon explodes at Spaceport Tucson, no injuries reported

[…]
"There were no injuries and only superficial facility damage at the site."

http://tucson.com/news/local/balloon-explodes-at-spaceport-tucson-no-injuries-reported/article_6a3b5558-e4fc-11e7-b0d3-97f88bb96b88.amp.html

Offline Dalhousie

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Re: World View (balloon rides to the edge of space)
« Reply #37 on: 12/30/2017 04:57 am »
Fine, it's not "real spaceflight", just like sending people to live in some isolated enclosure in Antarctica or on the upper slopes of Mauna Loa in Hawaii isn't a "real Mars mission".

They are however research projects designed to work towards real missions.

Apologies in advance for any lack of civility - it's unintended

Offline Svetoslav

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Re: World View (balloon rides to the edge of space)
« Reply #38 on: 12/30/2017 05:55 am »
The Stratollite turned out to be something great.

Offline Sam Ho

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Re: World View (balloon rides to the edge of space)
« Reply #39 on: 01/03/2018 05:01 am »
Quote
Balloon explodes at Spaceport Tucson, no injuries reported

[…]
"There were no injuries and only superficial facility damage at the site."

http://tucson.com/news/local/balloon-explodes-at-spaceport-tucson-no-injuries-reported/article_6a3b5558-e4fc-11e7-b0d3-97f88bb96b88.amp.html

Short video of the incident at the link below. They were reportedly testing hydrogen as the lifting gas.

https://arizonadailyindependent.com/2017/12/20/video-shows-world-view-explosion-sending-flames-into-the-sky/

Offline Steven Pietrobon

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Re: World View (balloon rides to the edge of space)
« Reply #40 on: 01/03/2018 06:28 am »
Ignition perhaps from static electricity?
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Offline Svetoslav

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Re: World View (balloon rides to the edge of space)
« Reply #41 on: 01/12/2018 06:37 pm »
World View is testing manned near-spaceflight systems, according to Twitter account of the  company:

"Not a bad day at the office, @Astro_Ron! Doing some flight testing on aerodynamic descent systems for Voyager and the Stratollite!"
« Last Edit: 01/12/2018 06:38 pm by Svetoslav »

Offline JQP

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World View raises money to take people to the edge of space in high-altitude balloons

That is a lot of talking without mentioning altitude more than once. I'm guessing they don't talk altitude because they're never gonna get anyone near LEO, but that's just my cynical side talking.

Because if you could get near LEO with balloons, that would be the way to go, down the road. Just float up until you're high enough that a tug could grab you and tow you the rest of the way. And I think I would've heard by now, if balloons were gonna replace rockets.

I suppose I'm objecting to this use of the term, "the edge of space" in the headline.

Offline high road

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While I share your skepticism about balloons to space, those are a lot of strawmen in a single post.

Quote
World View intends to use what it learns from Stratollite to launch people in another balloon-lifted craft called Voyager. "We will be flying people in the future but I'd like us to have 100 or more Stratollite flights under our belt first," Poynter said.

Stratollite can fly commercial payloads the size of a small bus to 150,000 feet of altitude, making it possible to quickly and steadily provide services such as weather forecasting, military surveillance or disaster recovery.

Why do they have to say more than this? They're saying the Voyager craft is a long way down the road. So why bother giving specifics of the next craft if they're still tweaking the design of their current craft?

Secondly, LEO is a velocity rather than an altitude. You'd either need a cable that is long and resilient enough to mitigate several km/s difference in speed so the payload and tug survive, a rotovator, or a rocket stage (not a space tug) like zero2infinity:



Thirdly, given the difficulty of the above, this thing would compete with suborbital tourist rockets like LauncherOne or New Shepard. We still have to see what altitude LauncherOne will eventually be able to achieve. But the important metric here might be price/time spent on said altitude. If you can see something close to 'the black of space', the curvature of the earth, the edge of the atmosphere above the horizen, and what not, and for far longer than the time needed to catch your breath from a few g's of accelleration, that might be enough for tourists to open their wallets.

Offline JQP

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Why do they have to say more than this?

Because the headline said "the edge of space." Which it ain't.

Offline high road

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Re: World View (balloon rides to the edge of space)
« Reply #45 on: 03/31/2018 10:45 pm »
Well, that's main stream media for you. Hyperbole, hyperbole, hyperbole. They do this for LauncherOne, which doesn't go a lot higher, as well.  And basically for anything space-related. Or rather: for everything, full stop.

Online gongora

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Re: World View (balloon rides to the edge of space)
« Reply #46 on: 03/31/2018 10:52 pm »
Well, that's main stream media for you. Hyperbole, hyperbole, hyperbole. They do this for LauncherOne, which doesn't go a lot higher, as well.  And basically for anything space-related. Or rather: for everything, full stop.

I think you mean SpaceShipTwo.  LauncherOne is supposed to go a bit higher.

Online gongora

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Re: World View (balloon rides to the edge of space)
« Reply #47 on: 03/04/2020 04:32 pm »
March 3, 2020

World View Stratollite fleet to provide high resolution imagery and data analytics in the Americas

BROOMFIELD, Co. – World View, the stratospheric data and information services company, has announced
their plans to build and deploy a fleet of Stratollites, known as World View Orbits, over North and Central
America starting this summer.

After a series of successful test and development flights to sharpen vehicle flight and navigation capabilities,
World View is in final preparations to offer customers high resolution imagery and associated analytics
products from an integrated network of vehicles operating in the stratosphere for a variety of use cases.
Speaking at the Next-Generation Suborbital Researchers Conference in Broomfield, Colorado, World View
President & CEO Ryan Hartman said, “We are excited to be on the cusp of delivering high value services to
initial customers in North and Central America. Our Stratollite fleet will begin launching in the summer
timeframe, and initial operational capability (IOC) will follow thereafter with a build-up to full fleet operations
expected in first half of 2021.”

World View will provide high resolution imagery access at 15cm ground sample distance (GSD) using precision
instruments provided by the company’s industry partners and suppliers. Imagery delivery to end users is via
the company’s secure data portal on the World View website.

“As we continue our efforts to build out the stratospheric ecosystem, we are utilizing the best the industry has
to offer in terms of commercial instrumentation. However, we are also in the process of implementing a custom
electro-optical (EO) sensor to provide higher resolution imagery at better than 5cm GSD,” said World View
Senior Vice President of Engineering and Manufacturing Dr. Matteo Genna. Dr. Genna added, “The unique
ability to safely land and refurbish the Stratollite allows continuous upgrades and enhancements during
operational services delivery.”

For more information, please visit WorldView.space or follow us on Twitter @WorldViewSpace.

Offline su27k

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Re: World View (balloon rides to the edge of space)
« Reply #48 on: 01/13/2023 02:44 am »
Balloon Surveillance Startup World View Nears Merger With Leo SPAC

Quote from: bloomberg.com
World View, which focuses on remote sensing and stratospheric surveillance, has agreed to go public through a merger with a blank-check firm, according to people with knowledge of the matter.

The deal with Leo Holdings Corp. II is set to value the combined entity at about $350 million, which includes a potential $75 million private investment in public equity, or PIPE, said the people, who asked not to be identified discussing confidential information. A transaction could be announced as soon as Thursday, they said.


SpaceNews article: Stratospheric ballooning company World View to go public in SPAC deal

Quote from: SpaceNews
In October 2021, World View announced it would return to the tourism business, developing a balloon system and pressurized cabin to take up to 10 people to altitudes of about 30 kilometers for flights lasting 6 to 12 hours. The company says 1,200 people have reserved seats on those flights, with a ticket cost of $50,000, although the company has not disclosed how much revenue it has collected from those reservations.

World View provided little financial information as part of the SPAC announcement. Unlike some similar deals involving space or space-adjacent companies, there was no conference call to discuss the merger, and they did not release an investor presentation with financial details or projections.
« Last Edit: 01/14/2023 02:05 am by su27k »

Online Hobbes-22

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Re: World View (balloon rides to the edge of space)
« Reply #49 on: 01/13/2023 06:51 am »
These balloons take nearly 500,000 m3 of helium each. Annual helium production in the USA is 57 million m3. if they get to more than ~10 flights per year, it'll have significant impact on helium supplies.

Offline su27k

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Re: World View (balloon rides to the edge of space)
« Reply #50 on: 02/07/2023 02:28 am »
World View emphasizes remote sensing as it prepares to go public

Quote from: SpaceNews
World View, the stratospheric ballooning company that announced plans to go public last month, is emphasizing remote sensing, and not tourism, as its primary market for the next several years.

The company, which said Jan. 13 it would go public through a merger with a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) called Leo Holdings Corp. II, filed an investor presentation with the Securities and Exchange Commission Feb. 3 that provided new information about its finances and business plans.

In the presentation, the company described how it believed its balloon platform, called a “stratollite,” could compete against satellites and aerial platforms in providing high-resolution imagery for extended periods.

Offline Comga

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Re: World View (stratospheric balloons)
« Reply #51 on: 02/07/2023 04:32 am »
These balloons take nearly 500,000 m3 of helium each. Annual helium production in the USA is 57 million m3. if they get to more than ~10 flights per year, it'll have significant impact on helium supplies.
but
Quote
Helium production in the United States totaled 73 million cubic meters in 2014. The US was the world's largest helium producer, providing 40 percent of world supply.(Wikepedia)
From the SpaceNews article:
Quote
World View expects both the number of flights and revenue to grow substantially in the next few years, reaching $89 million in revenue from 65 flights in 2025.
65*5E5 m^3= 3.3E7 m^3 = 45% of 73 million m^3 or just under half of  the 2014 production in the US, and about 20% of the 2014 world production.
Still a big chunk.
Is this correct today?
Is this economically practical?
Is there no recovery of the helium?
Isn't one of the balloons fixed while gas is bled into and pumped out of the variable other?
« Last Edit: 02/07/2023 04:33 am by Comga »
What kind of wastrels would dump a perfectly good booster in the ocean after just one use?

Offline Eric Hedman

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Re: World View (stratospheric balloons)
« Reply #52 on: 02/07/2023 07:29 am »
These balloons take nearly 500,000 m3 of helium each. Annual helium production in the USA is 57 million m3. if they get to more than ~10 flights per year, it'll have significant impact on helium supplies.
but
Quote
Helium production in the United States totaled 73 million cubic meters in 2014. The US was the world's largest helium producer, providing 40 percent of world supply.(Wikepedia)
From the SpaceNews article:
Quote
World View expects both the number of flights and revenue to grow substantially in the next few years, reaching $89 million in revenue from 65 flights in 2025.
65*5E5 m^3= 3.3E7 m^3 = 45% of 73 million m^3 or just under half of  the 2014 production in the US, and about 20% of the 2014 world production.
Still a big chunk.
Is this correct today?
Is this economically practical?
Is there no recovery of the helium?
Isn't one of the balloons fixed while gas is bled into and pumped out of the variable other?
These are all questions you would hope the VCs funding this company would have asked.  No guarantee that they did.

Offline Asteroza

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Re: World View (stratospheric balloons)
« Reply #53 on: 02/07/2023 10:49 pm »
As I understand it, modern two envelope balloons user an inner ballonet filled with variable amounts of air as a variable ballast system to avoid venting helium during operation. Unfortunately, at end of mission they still typically just pop the balloon, losing the helium, while the payload is expended or recovered via parachute (some payloads now are in the form of a UAV glider for directed recovery, or have a data recorder installed on an ejectable glider).

Google Loon sufficiently demonstrated that variable ballast balloons can mostly stay in a given mission area via changing altitude to ride favorable winds to correct position. You aren't guaranteed to have the necessary winds to correct position though, which is why they eventually drift out of the mission area. For a surveillance HAPS mission that ain't terrible. Slap a Starlink on it and you get realtime bulk data delivery.

Something more like JP Aerospace's tandem balloon setups with propellers along with variable ballast might be able to overcome the drift problem though.

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