Governmental financed program - Research and Education Ministry
Contract number 81034
Duration: 36 months
Budget source : 387500 USD (930000lei) / Private source: 35000 USD (84000lei)

High Altitude Commercial Solar Balloon for Scientific Equipmant - BASMATES” project is proposing to design, construct, launch and recover a high altitude solar baloon and presurized capsule, built to transport scientific and commercial payload.
This project is consistent with the objectives of Program 4: create a partnership, build a product, create a base for a commercial service and address complex issues. BASMATES addresses the 8-th research priority „Space and Security” and the objective 8.3 „Aerospatial technology and infrastructure, specific objective 8.3.4 „Specialised piloted and automated platforms and aerospace vehicles”.
BASMATES represents a world priority for a high altitude scientific system. This system will be available in commercial activities like using cheap and clean solar energy in infrared/visible/ultraviolet spectrum.
The goals of this project were the technical and economical optimisation and a prototype for the commercial service.
BASMATES will be designed for the following configuration: solar baloon with a volume of 130000m³ and a capsule that will be recovered. The capsule will carry a payload of up to 500kg at a height of 30000 meters. At this height, numerous scientific experiments there will take place. After that, the capsule will detach from the baloon and will experience a period of microgravity. After reentry, the capsule will use parachutes and will be recovered.

BASMATES project will take place in 5 phases:
Phase I - SYSTEM CONCEPTION
Phase II - CONSTRUCTION OF SYSTEM COMPONENTS
Phase III - GROUND TEST FOR COMPONENTS, SYSTEM ASSEMBLY
Phase IV - PREPARATION AND EXECUTION OF FLIGHT 1
Phase V - PREPARATION AND EXECUTION OF FLIGHT 2

Such a project generates scientific results that can be used for social, economic and environmental issues. Potential customers are organisations that will operate within the free market.

The partners are leaders in Romania for design, construction and testing non-military rockets, high altitude baloons and military aircraft.

Estimated Objectives and Results

General objective is to design and build a prototype of a system and ground infrastructure that will be commercially available at heights above 30 km with high performances from the cost point of view.
Specific (measurable) objectives are creating a high altitude vehicle (baloon and presurised capsule) and ground infrastructure (test systems, command and control systems).

Consortium

ARCA - Aeronautics and Cosmonautics Romanian Association
System conception, design and construction, including: solar balloons, presurized capsules, recovery parachutes, ground infrastructure. System operation on ground and inflight.
CCIZ - Flight Research Center
Avionics design, construction and integration. System operation on ground and inflight.
SC SIARM SA
CAD drawings. General conception. System operation on ground and inflight.

Project Manager

Andrei Comanceanu. Born: December 26, 1978 in Falciu. In 1997 he studied at the Polytechnic University of Bucharest – Aerospace Engineering – Master in Aerospace Engineering. He is a member of ARCA since 1999 and vice-president of ARCA since 2001. He worked intensively to the development and launch of Demonstrator 2B rocket and it was a member of the flight tests team for Stabilo’s Mission 1 and 2. Since September 2007 he is leading the BASMATES governmental funded project with the goal of developing a high altitude, balloon carried, flight platform. During this program Andrei will be in charge with the development of the Montgolfier solar balloon used to lift the rocket which will transport the ELE vehicle.

Latest News

February 10, 2009 - Rm. Valcea
The BASMATES system tests are underway at ARCA. The testing phase will end in April 2009.

June 31, 2008 - Rm. Valcea
The work to the BASMATES project - Phase II was completed today.

May 28, 2008 - Rm. Valcea
No.1 recoverable capsule (internal structure) was completed. It will be prepared for assembly proccess.

December 5, 2007 - Bucharest
Consortium partners achieved first milestone on the project as the SYSTEM CONCEPTION phase I was completed.