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US 11,097,843 B1Granted
Aerospace balloon system, parachute, and method of operation
AssigneeSpace Perspective Inc.
InventorTaber MacCallum
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A balloon system including a balloon, a payload, and a safety module. A safety module, preferably including a tether and a parachute, and optionally including a cover and/or a drogue. A method of balloon system operation, preferably including operating the balloon system in flight and descending under a parachute.
Claims21
A balloon system comprising:
- a balloon;
- a payload;
- a tether mechanically connecting the payload to the balloon;
- and
- a parachute module arranged between the payload and the balloon, the parachute module comprising:
- a canopy;
- and
- a set of suspension lines mechanically connecting the payload to the canopy;
- wherein:
- the balloon system is operable in a first configuration in which:
- the balloon contains a lighter-than-air fluid;
- the payload is suspended from the balloon by the tether;
- and
- the parachute module is in a stowed configuration;
- and
- the balloon system is operable to transition from the first configuration to a second configuration in which:
- the balloon contains the lighter-than-air fluid;
- the payload is suspended from the balloon by the tether;
- the parachute module is in a deployed configuration in which the canopy is substantially open and in which the canopy encircles the tether;
- and
- the payload is suspended from the canopy by the set of suspension lines.
18 more elements
A balloon system comprising:
- a balloon containing a lighter-than-air fluid;
- a tether mechanically connected to the balloon;
- a payload suspended from the balloon by the tether;
- and
- a parachute module arranged between the payload and the balloon, the parachute module comprising:
- a canopy encircling the tether;
- and
- a set of suspension lines mechanically connecting the payload to the canopy;
- wherein:
- the parachute module extends substantially along the tether;
- and
- the payload is not suspended from the balloon by the parachute module.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.