Atmospheric exploration vehicle
AssigneeA.N.V.A.R. (de l'Agence Nationale de Valorisation de la Recherche)
InventorsJean-Pierre Pommereau, Alain Hauchecorne
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A vehicle for the exploration of the atmosphere comprising an infra-red and olar montgolfier (hot-air balloon) capable of being piloted reversibly. The vehicle comprises a gas-tight envelope in which the upper part of the envelope is either transparent to or slightly absorbent of infra-red radiation, the outer face of the upper part of the envelope is slightly emissive in the infra-red region of radiation and the inner face of the upper part absorbs infra-red radiation so that ascending forces which act on the montgolfier are only obtained as a result of the heating of the gas contained in the envelope which is produced by the absorption of infra-red radiation.
Claims24
A vehicle of the montgolfier type for the exploration of the atmosphere, comprising:
- a gas-tight envelope for containing a gas and carrying a load, said envelope including:
- an under wall part substantially transparent to infra-red radiation, and
- an upper wall part having an outer lining on said envelope slightly emissive to infra-red radiation and a covering on said envelope on said outer lining absorptive of the visible solar radiation coming from the atmosphere or an object in the atmosphere being explored and transparent to the infra-red radiation;
- and
- an inner lining on said upper part absorptive to the infra-red radiation transmitted through said outer lining and said under wall part.
A vehicle of the montgolfier type for the exploration of the atmosphere in which visible sunlight and infra-red from the earth can be emitted comprising:
- a gas-tight envelope for containing a gas, said envelope including at least an under part including a wall portion having a good transmission coefficient to infra-red radiation.
- an upper part including at least an outer layer material having a slightly emissive coefficient to infra-red radiation and an inner layer material having a good absorption coefficient to infra-red radiation;
- said outer layer material being disposed between said inner layer material and light coming from the sun, and
- a film material covering said outer layer material, said film material having a good absorption coefficient to the visible sunlight and a good transmission coefficient to the infra-red radiation so that the ascension force acting on the montgolfier is obtained from the heating of the gas contained in the envelope.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.