Station-keeping performance analysis for high altitude balloon with altitude control system

Station-keeping endurance of high altitude balloon is the foundation of the assignments of environmental monitoring and communicational relaying. Exploiting the natural wind-field that varies with altitude by the altitude control system to extend the station-keeping endurance is proposed in this paper. A Matlab program is developed based on the theoretical model to simulate the station-keeping performance of the balloon in the real wind field. The trajectories of the balloon in different wind fields and the states of the balloon caused by the venting and pumping processes are discussed in detail. The results show that with the altitude control system it is possible to retain the balloon within the designated district for few days to a week. This can serve as a guideline for the design and initial flight tests of the serviceable high altitude balloon.