| PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 02-II S2.02-7897 (For NASA Use Only - Chron: 024102 ) |
| PHASE-I CONTRACT NUMBER: | NAS5-03042 |
| SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Terrestrial and Extra-Terrestrial Balloons and Aerobots |
| PROPOSAL TITLE: | Lift Gas Cracker |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN:
(Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Pioneer Astronautics
11111 W. 8th Avenue, Unit A
Lakewood , CO 80215 - 5516
(303 ) 980 - 0890
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER:
(Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Robert Zubrin
zubrin@aol.com
11111 W. 8th Avenue, Unit A
Lakewood , CO 80215 - 5516
(303 ) 980 - 0890
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The Lift Gas Cracker (LGC) is a new method for extending the duration of high-altitude scientific balloon flights and for enabling the launch of balloons from remote locations. The LGC produces balloon lift gas by catalytic reforming of methanol to generate hydrogen plus some carbon monoxide and/or carbon dioxide.
Pioneer Astronautics prototyped and characterized an LGC system during Phase I. The LGC was demonstrated as a portable lift gas generator for launching meteorological and scientific balloons from remote locations where high-pressure helium is not available.
Based on favorable mission analyses conducted during Phase I, the LGC as a method for extending the duration of high-altitude scientific balloon flights will be developed under Phase II. The LGC would operate with an auxiliary buoyancy-control balloon. The LGC produces lift gas by catalytic reforming of methanol at night. During the day, some of the lift gas (predominantly hydrogen) is burned with atmospheric air to produce water. The water ballast can be dropped or can be recycled to the LGC for steam reforming to generate lift gas the following night. These techniques can triple the duration of high-altitude flights compared to conventional methods of dropping ballast at night and venting gas during the day.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The Lift Gas Cracker can be used to provide lift gas for stratospheric balloon flights for Earth observation, atmospheric research, and high-altitude telescopes. Lift gas generated on board at night from liquid methanol can be used to maintain altitude as an alternative to dropping ballast. The lift gas, which is predominantly hydrogen, can then be catalytically burned with air during the day to effectively reduce the lift gas volume while generating water ballast. The water ballast can be dropped or can be recycled to the Lift Gas Cracker for steam reforming of methanol the following night, greatly extending the time aloft. The LGC could also be used for extended duration balloon flights on Venus or Mars.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The LGC is well-suited for the production of lift gas in remote areas, such as the Arctic, Antarctic, and underdeveloped regions where conventional gas cylinders are difficult to obtain. Such gas is needed in large quantities to support meteorological campaigns and flight service stations, which provide winds aloft data to pilots. In addition, winds aloft information is needed by artillery units, which fire projectiles through high altitudes. In remote areas, the provision of helium bottles to field units is difficult, and the LGC offers logistic advantages. The low cost of lift gas compared to helium could provide an attractive alternative for systems such as tethered balloons since the gas leakage experienced over time by such systems can be considerable. With the addition of a gas separation membrane, the LGC could be used to supply cheap, easily generated hydrogen for fuel cell applications, including automobiles and power supply stations.