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Constellation Management

 
 

GDIN Application

This page shows a simulation using stratospheric balloons to achieve Global Disaster Information Network objectives. GDIN is the "Global Disaster Information Network," a voluntary, independent, self-sustaining, non-profit association of nations, organizations, and professionals, from all sectors of society including NGO's, Industry, Academia, Governments, and International Organizations with an interest in sharing disaster information. The aim of GDIN is to provide the right information, in the right format, to the right people, in time to make the right decisions.

In this simulation, we have a network of balloons operating between +/- 20 degrees latitude. The network adapts to disasters, mobilizing the assets of the network to provide observations of the event and to provide communications options to relief workers on the ground.

The network consists of 100 balloons floating at 35 km, each is labelled for identification. Winds are provided by UKMO assimilations, and the start time for the simulation is 2000-01-01T00:00:00 GMT. The simulations lasts 365 days, the command synchronization interval is 4 hours, and the integration time step is 1 hour. The position of each balloon is represented by a red dot. Yellow circles represent the locus of points that emit to the balloons with an elevation angle of 2 degrees or more. The green areas indicate overlap. Each frame of the simulation represents 4 hours of the evolution of the network.

The control forces for the balloons are provided by a StratoSail(R) Ballon Guidance System.

 

 

 

This simulation demonstrates the effectiveness of trajectory control capabilities for targeted balloon observations at disaster sites.

 

 

Note that QuickTime® is required to view these simulations.
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