Research Summaries

Back Bento Box - Modular Stratospheric Balloon Payload to Enable Artificial Intelligence for Small Unit Maneuver

Fiscal Year 2021
Division Research & Sponsored Programs
Department NPS Naval Research Program
Investigator(s) Lan, Wenschel D.
Sponsor Office of the Chief of Naval Operations (Navy)
Summary Guaranteed access to communication, navigation, & data transfer networks is required for successful AI-enabled mission execution. In light of great power competition, SOF must identify unique/novel methods to maintain continuous airborne surveillance, uninterrupted comms, and accurate navigation inputs to facilitate tactical maneuver in contested battlespaces. High-altitude balloons (HABs) offer a potential low-cost/low-observable method to increase force projection across domains and provide the infrastructure required to support NSW tactical maneuver. Using HABs would offload dirty, dull, & dangerous tasks from manned systems and transition them to those with potential to operate autonomously using robotics and AI. Opportunities for collaboration with stakeholders have been identified that will enable us to reach our objectives: 1) collection of stakeholder requirements to design/prototype a bus (called Bento Box) that meets modularity requirements and sets an industry benchmark for future high-altitude system designs, and 2) demonstrate modularity and the ability to integrate with an autonomous recovery vehicle; both major conceptual barriers for HAB adoption. To achieve these, we'll use standard aerospace modeling/simulation techniques in preliminary design phases, then leverage existing HAB systems, a CubeSat form factor developed by the NPS Space Systems Academic Group, and other designs in development, finally, we will use an existing recovery vehicle to demonstrate the feasibility of using the system to enable AISUM concepts. Deliverables include: a preliminary design review package, prototype, recovery vehicle integration, and a detailed technical report. Lastly, HABs are accessible compared to space systems, making them excellent experimentation platforms for tech/TTPs designed to support AISUM; in this regard, there exists unprecedented potential for innovation cycle iteration at a superior frequency and price point compared to contemporary methods.
Keywords CubeSat form factor High Altitude Platforms contested environment tactical maneuver
Publications Publications, theses (not shown) and data repositories will be added to the portal record when information is available in FAIRS and brought back to the portal
Data Publications, theses (not shown) and data repositories will be added to the portal record when information is available in FAIRS and brought back to the portal