37000 Feet

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ZMP controller described an unsafe situation involving a balloon release up to FL600 with little or no coordination/contacts and no means of identifying the balloons for traffic information.

Narrative:

We were advised on the mid-shift that unmanned balloons were being released around the fsd area. Personal research showed these balloons were wifi equipped balloons above 60;000 ft. However; at some point the balloons were planned to be in controlled descents through our airspace. During the midshift; two of the four balloons launched off fsd descended in our airspace. Since the balloons had no aviation transponders; they were not visible on our radar. The only information about their position and altitude was on a company webpage that had been provided (and that wasn't available to controllers in the sector) via some voice telephone mannaer. Apparently the expectation was that controllers provide over flight aircraft traffic advisories for the balloons while they were slowly descending; despite the lack of accurate and timely position reporting for the balloons. If these flights continue to be tested; the balloons should be equipped with mode C/south aviation transponders so controllers can get accurate position reports and give traffic advisories to aircraft in the area of the balloons when they are transitioning up and down.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZMP Controller described an unsafe situation involving a balloon release up to FL600 with little or no coordination/contacts and no means of identifying the balloons for traffic information.

Narrative: We were advised on the mid-shift that unmanned balloons were being released around the FSD area. Personal research showed these balloons were WiFi equipped balloons above 60;000 FT. However; at some point the balloons were planned to be in controlled descents through our airspace. During the midshift; two of the four balloons launched off FSD descended in our airspace. Since the balloons had no aviation transponders; they were not visible on our RADAR. The only information about their position and altitude was on a company webpage that had been provided (and that wasn't available to controllers in the sector) via some voice telephone mannaer. Apparently the expectation was that controllers provide over flight aircraft traffic advisories for the balloons while they were slowly descending; despite the lack of accurate and timely position reporting for the balloons. If these flights continue to be tested; the balloons should be equipped with Mode C/S aviation transponders so controllers can get accurate position reports and give traffic advisories to aircraft in the area of the balloons when they are transitioning up and down.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2013 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.