The HiDRON stratospheric glider achieved controlled flight following a release from a sounding balloon at altitudes above 82,000 feet June 1 and 4, and 98,000 feet June 6.
The mission objectives were to advance new systems for forward-sensing turbulence detection onboard aircraft at near-space and commercial flight altitudes. The flight campaign team included Aliaksei Stratsilatau, CEO of UAVOS, the HiDRON autopilot developer and supplier; Sean Bailey, principal investigator; Ryan Nolin, flight technician from the University of Kentucky; Qamar Shams, sensor inventor from NASA Langley; and balloon launch specialists Andrew Denney and Victor Davison from PSL to assist with launch logistics.
The collaboration converged at Spaceport America to combine the novel, high-altitude aerial platform with multi-hole wind probe and infrasonic microphone sensors to advance forward detection of turbulence systems. During the ascent phase, the platform captured a stunning view of New Mexico which has recently been selected as NASA’s June 17 Image of the Day.