Additional systems and methods for long endurance airship operations using a free-flying tethered airship system
AssigneeStratospheric Airships, LLC
InventorStephen B. Heppe
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In one example, a free-flying tethered airship system includes an upper airship adapted to tailor its lift and drag, a lower airship adapted to tailor its lift and drag, and a tether connecting the upper airship to the lower airship such that the upper airship is at least one kilometer above the lower airship. The upper airship is configured to be equiliberally buoyant, while carrying the tether, in a first altitude range. The lower airship is configured to be equiliberally buoyant in a second altitude range, the first altitude range being higher than the second altitude range. A method for stationkeeping of a free-flying tethered airship system is also provided.
Claims20
A free-flying tethered airship system comprises:
- an upper airship configured to tailor its lift and drag;
- a lower airship configured to tailor its lift and drag;
- and
- a tether connecting the upper airship to the lower airship such that the upper airship is at least one kilometer above the lower airship, wherein:
- the upper airship is configured to be equiliberally buoyant, while carrying the tether, in a first altitude range;
- the lower airship is configured to be equiliberally buoyant in a second altitude range, the first altitude range being higher than the second altitude range.
A free-flying tethered airship system, comprising:
- an upper airship configured to tailor its lift and drag;
- a lower airship configured to tailor its lift and drag;
- and
- a tether connecting the upper airship to the lower airship such that the upper airship is at least one kilometer above the lower airship, wherein:
- the upper airship is configured to be equiliberally buoyant, while carrying the tether, in a first altitude range;
- the lower airship is configured to be equiliberally buoyant in a second altitude range, the first altitude range being higher than the second altitude range;
- in which the lower airship comprises a longitudinal passageway internal to the airship, wherein the longitudinal passageway is configured to carry the lower airship in a substantially un-inflated state and deploy the lower airship while airborne, wherein the longitudinal passageway is further configured to serve as a plenum among a plurality of ballonets.
A free-flying tethered airship system comprises:
- an upper airship configured to tailor its lift and drag;
- a lower airship configured to tailor its lift and drag;
- and
- a tether connecting the upper airship to the lower airship such that the upper airship is at least one kilometer above the lower airship, wherein:
- the upper airship is configured to be equiliberally buoyant, while carrying the tether, in a first altitude range;
- the lower airship is configured to be equiliberally buoyant in a second altitude range, the first altitude range being higher than the second altitude range;
- wherein the lower airship comprises a longitudinal passageway internal to the airship, wherein the longitudinal passageway is configured to carry the lower airship in a substantially un-inflated state and deploy the lower airship while airborne, wherein the longitudinal passageway is further configured to serve as a plenum among a plurality of ballonets;
- and
- wherein longitudinal passage way further comprises a valve for fluidically connecting to each ballonet and a hatchway into each ballonet.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.