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US 12,195,189 B2Granted
Near-space operation systems
AssigneeWorld View Enterprises Inc.
InventorsTaber K. MacCallum, Jacob H. Dang, Robert Alan Eustace, John Zaniel Maccagnano, Julian R. Nott, Sebastian A. Padilla, Sreenivasan Shankarnarayan, John Straus, Jared Leidich, Daniel Pieter Jacobus Blignaut
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Abstract
A system enabling safe manned and unmanned operations at extremely high altitudes (above 70,000 feet). The system utilizes a balloon launch system and parachute and/or parafoil recovery.
Claims18
A stratospheric visit method, comprising:
- ascending a stratospheric visit vehicle via a lighter than air balloon system to a high altitude, the stratospheric visit vehicle comprising a multi-passenger capsule comprising at least one view port, wherein the multi-passenger capsule has a length that exceeds a width and a plurality of coupling points spaced along the length;
- providing a human life support environment to the capsule to support multiple humans during the stratospheric visit;
- descending the stratospheric visit vehicle via the lighter than air balloon system;
- separating the stratospheric visit vehicle from the lighter than air balloon system;
- deploying a parafoil coupled to the plurality of coupling points, wherein the parafoil is a steerable parafoil deployed in response to or in preparation of separating the stratospheric visit vehicle from the lighter than air balloon system;
- deploying a reserve parachute following deployment of the parafoil;
- descending the stratospheric visit vehicle using the parafoil, and
- steering the stratospheric visit vehicle to a landing site.
5 more elements
A stratospheric visit system, comprising:
- a stratospheric visit vehicle comprising a multi-passenger capsule comprising at least one view port and a seating arrangement configured to serve multiple humans during a stratospheric visit, wherein the multi-passenger capsule has a length that exceeds a width and a plurality of coupling points spaced along the length;
- a lighter than air balloon system coupled to the stratospheric visit vehicle and configured to receive a lighter than air gas to ascend the stratospheric visit vehicle to a high altitude;
- a separator system configured to perform separation of the stratospheric visit vehicle from the lighter than air balloon system;
- a steerable parafoil coupled to the plurality of coupling points, the steerable parafoil configured to deploy in response to or in preparation of separation of the stratospheric visit vehicle from the lighter than air balloon system, the steerable parafoil configured to control a descent of the stratospheric visit vehicle to a landing site after separation of the stratospheric visit vehicle from the lighter than air balloon system;
- and
- a reserve parachute configured to deploy following deployment of the parafoil;
- wherein the lighter than air balloon system is configured to descend the stratospheric visit vehicle prior to separation of the stratospheric visit vehicle from the lighter than air balloon system.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.