Low-frequency observations using high-altitude balloon experiments (LOBE)

Low-frequency observations using high-altitude balloon experiments (LOBE)

Rajan, R.T. (TU Delft Electronics)
Sundaramoorthy, P.P. (TU Delft Electronics)
Vertegaal, C.J.C. (Eindhoven University of Technology)
Montagne, A.J.M. (TU Delft Electronics)
Karunanithi, Visweswaran (TU Delft Electronics)
Verma, Maneesh (Student TU Delft)
Bentum, M (Eindhoven University of Technology)
Verhoeven, C.J.M. (TU Delft Electronics)

2019-10

The frequency range below 30 MHz remains one of the last unexplored frequency ranges in radio astronomy However, Earth-based observations at these wavelengths are severely impeded, due to man-made radio frequency interference (RFI) and atmospheric opacity. To overcome this impediment, various space-based radio astronomy studies have been proposed in the past decade, notably the OLFAR (Orbiting low Frequency Antennas for Radio Astronomy) study, which proposed a satellite swarm for ultra-long wavelength observation. To realize this mission, various technological challenges of a satellite swarm are currently being addressed, particularly antenna design, navigation, communication, distributed processing, and overall system and mission design. Secondly, the RFI levels at various altitudes from Earth is currently unknown, which is a hindrance in general for radio astronomy. To this end, we propose the use of high-altitude ballooning experiments to validate OLFAR sub-systems in pseudo-representative conditions. Furthermore, these ballooning experiments will measure the RFI in the ultra-long wavelength spectrum at various altitudes from Earth. Our project is termed LOBE (Low-frequency observations using high-altitude Balloon Experiments), and in this paper, we present an overview of the science objectives, payload, and the technological and programmatic challenges of the LOBE project.

Array of balloons
High-altitude balloons
Satellite swarms
Space-based radio astronomy
Ultra-long wavelength observation

http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:0a02955e-6d90-4b84-84e2-f8efae30989b

IAF/AIAA

70th International Astronautical Congress (IAC), Washington D.C., United States, 2019-October

70th International Astronautical Congress, IAC 2019, 2019-10-21 → 2019-10-25, Washington, United States

Proceedings of the International Astronautical Congress, IAC, 0074-1795

Institutional Repository

conference paper

© 2019 R.T. Rajan, P.P. Sundaramoorthy, C.J.C. Vertegaal, A.J.M. Montagne, Visweswaran Karunanithi, Maneesh Verma, M Bentum, C.J.M. Verhoeven