Operating a network of balloons instead of satellites

Resumo

Recently developed materials and technology make it possible to operate a network of balloons to perform as effectively as a network of satellites for certain communication objectives. Balloons are the only unmanned air vehicle with a specific operation regulation that allows for its use even in the proximity of aircraft routes. We are concerned with the use of a network of balloons to operate a communication platform in high altitude (60 to 100 thousand feet). Such a solution could perform certain tasks as well as a network of satellites, but with a fraction of the investment. In this paper we discuss the use of such network for communication support in certain areas where many off-shore oil fields are located in Brazil. We comment on the most relevant technical and economic aspects of the feasibility of such network. In particular, we discuss: air-space security; winds forecast and choice of best altitude for each balloon to be launched; recovery logistics and optimization of trade-offs between cost and autonomy. © 2011 by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc. All rights reserved.