Thermal Analysis of High Altitude Ballooning Payloads

Balloon-borne telescopes have the potential to produce almost space telescope quality
data, because stratospheric balloons float above 99% of the atmosphere. The
stratospheric environment poses unique and unsolved issues especially in the thermal
stability of the optics. To inform the design of the future ”Testbed for High-Acuity
Imaging - Stable Photometry and Image-Motion Compensation Experiment” balloon
borne telescope, a team formed to improve thermal models for the stratosphere, especially
by including convection. To accomplish such a feat the following thesis tracts
the progress in developing, and testing such models as well as outlining the production
of another smaller high altitude balloon. The smaller balloon will fly a number
of sensors which help to inform about the thermal environment in thin low pressure
air