Wallops Arc-Second Pointer (WASP)

The Wallops Arc Second Pointer (WASP) is a balloon-borne attitude control system capable of pointing a telescope or instrument with accuracy and stability down to the arc second, or 1/3600 of a degree of angular measurement. When a high-powered telescope is integrated with WASP, it provides a highly precise platform for conducting astronomical research. To date, the WASP system has been tested aboard five helium-filled scientific balloons at altitudes between 100,000 – 125,000 feet with flight durations up to 15 hours. During these pathfinder missions, the WASP controlled instrument structures with masses between 1,000 – 2,000 lbs.