Department Of Homeland Safety Could Take Over Big Bend Aerostat Balloon
By: Karl Rundgren
Updated: March 21, 2013
PRESIDIO COUNTY -- The Tethered Aerostat Radar System (T.A.R.S.) in the Big Bend region might not be grounded for good.
The Big Bend Sentinel reports that the that the Department of Homeland Security might take control of the surveillance blimp.
The Aerostat blimp -- which is located near Valentine -- is currently funded by the Department of Defense.
With the Department of Defense's funding is scheduled to expire at the end of 2013, the entire T.A.R.S. Program could shut down.
Such a closure could cost upwards of 20 people in the Marfa area their jobs.
The radar balloon -- which sits tethered to the ground about 12,000 feet above the earth -- has been monitoring low flying aircraft in the Big Bend region for more than 16 years.
The Aerostat balloon nosedived to the ground during a windstorm on February 14th.
No one was injured in the crash, which happened after an operator misread a high wind warning.
However, the crash caused more than $8.8 million in damages.
For the T.A.R.S. to remain operational under Department of Homeland Security control, funding arrangements would have to be made.
The Big Bend Sentinel reports that the that the Department of Homeland Security might take control of the surveillance blimp.
The Aerostat blimp -- which is located near Valentine -- is currently funded by the Department of Defense.
With the Department of Defense's funding is scheduled to expire at the end of 2013, the entire T.A.R.S. Program could shut down.
Such a closure could cost upwards of 20 people in the Marfa area their jobs.
The radar balloon -- which sits tethered to the ground about 12,000 feet above the earth -- has been monitoring low flying aircraft in the Big Bend region for more than 16 years.
The Aerostat balloon nosedived to the ground during a windstorm on February 14th.
No one was injured in the crash, which happened after an operator misread a high wind warning.
However, the crash caused more than $8.8 million in damages.
For the T.A.R.S. to remain operational under Department of Homeland Security control, funding arrangements would have to be made.
