Huygens probe mission simulation in Earths atmosphere: a stratospheric balloon experiment for the Huygens Atmospheric Structure Instrument (HASI)
Colombatti, G. ; Gaborit, V. ; Ferri, F. ; ...Flamini, E. ; et al.
Jan - 2003

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type: Conference Proceedings

Abstract
On May, 30th 2002, a balloon experiment was successfully performed from the ASI stratospheric balloons launch base of Trapani-Milo in Sicily, in order to simulate the descent of the Huygens probe into Titans atmosphere. This test consisted of the release in the Earths atmosphere of a 1:1 scale mockup of the Huygens probe, lifted up to the altitude of 32.5 km by means of a stratospheric balloon and decelerated by a parachute. The on-board payload consisted of the HASI instrumentation (pressure, temperature sensors and accelerometers), Huygens SSP tilt sensor, Beagle2 UV sensor and an add-on package of complementary sensors. The descent lasted about 54 minutes and was a unique opportunity to investigate the behaviour of the HASI sensors and to get a real data set for trajectory reconstruction. Other added sensors such as a three axial magnetometer, sun sensors and the tilt sensor were used to investigate the attitude of the probe along the descent. During the flight, all the instrumentation was nominally functioning providing data for the determination of the atmospheric vertical pressure and temperature profiles and the acceleration descent profile of the mockup. The whole data set has been used for the determination of the mockup descent and attitude, and to test the algorithms developed for the Huygens trajectory reconstruction. In the same way, the data analysis improved our understanding of the probe motion (mainly pendulum) and how this motion affects accelerometer measurements. From a scientific point of view, this flight was a success and a new balloon experiment is foreseen in summer 2003 in order to integrate other instruments of the real Huygens probe and to improve and complete the existing results.

keywords : E. Flamini - ASI author