Aeronautics and astronautics – Aircraft – lighter-than-air – Balloons
Patent
1989-08-04
1991-12-31
Barefoot, Galen
Aeronautics and astronautics
Aircraft, lighter-than-air
Balloons
244 97, 244128, B64B 140, B64B 162
Patent
active
050765132
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The invention relates to an aerostat intended to travel in an autonomous and reversible manner between the ground of a planet having an atmosphere and a predetermined ceiling altitude.
One of the near future objectives of space conquest is to send a mission to the planet Mars. For this reason, several techniques have been proposed in order to explore this planet. Among these techniques, has been envisaged the provision of a space balloon able to travel in an autonomous and reversible manner between the ground of the planet and a predetermined altitude. This solution presents in effect the advantage of permitting simultaneously a study of the ground of the planet and the atmosphere surrounding the planet. Such an objective cannot be achieved by drawing inspiration from the techniques used for providing captive balloons such as described particularly in U.S. Pat. No. 3,773,279, or the free balloons described in French Patent 1,535,761, or U.S. Pats. 3,484,058 and 4,394,998.
For this reason, the studies carried out have been oriented toward the provision of a space balloon conceived for conquering the relative radiation balance between the day and the night, in such a manner as to absorb the radiation from the altitude during the day and to lose it during the night.
In this sense, a first solution consisted in providing a space balloon comprising a closed envelope containing a gas which is lighter than the gas present in the atmosphere, provided with an internal metallized face in order to permit a sufficient reheating of this gas. The mass of gas is further adapted such that the balloon cannot leave the ground during the night by reason of the low temperature of the gas, and gain altitude during the day upon reheating of this gas. This solution, the great advantage of which resides in its simplicity, nevertheless presents a fundamental disadvantage. In effect, on the ground, the volume of gas enclosed in the envelope is low, and when the space balloon arrives at its ceiling, the same mass of gas occupies the total of the envelope because of the low pressure of the ambient atmosphere. This very hot gas causes great overpressures which can lead to bursting of the space balloon. To sustain these overpressures, the only solution is to provide an envelope of a very strong material. However, this solution is not adapted to the nature of the mission by reason of the significant weight of such an envelope, incompatible with transportation by satellite.
To overcome this inconvenience, a second solution has consisted in coupling a first balloon, comprising a closed non-metallic envelope by means of a connection to a solar hot air balloon having a permanent opening. This solution is described in French Patent 2,360,089 and has consisted of combining the effects of a carrier balloon providing a constant ascending force which is insufficient to permit the assembly to gain altitude, and a hot air balloon furnishing a rising force which varies as a function of the temperature and the density of the gas available in the ambient atmosphere. This hot air balloon thus furnishes a maximum ascending force at low altitudes which diminishes in relation to the elevation of the assembly. The risks of an over pressure condition of the carrier balloon are therefor diminished. However, this solution also has disadvantages. In effect the risks of an overpressure condition of the carrier balloon, while reduced, exist just the same by reason of the ascending force of the hot air balloon which encloses a very hot gas. Moreover, the launching of such a system from the ground is very hazardous, particularly in the case of violent winds. In effect, when the assembly is on the ground, the carrier balloon and the hot air balloon are maintained above the ground due to the lift of the carrier balloon. The hot air balloon is therefor subject to the action of the wind and may be emptied and take the shape of a spinnaker if it is not provided with an interpolar connection, or extending itself around its interpolar connection if, as described in Fren
REFERENCES:
patent: 3484058 (1969-06-01), Struble
patent: 3565368 (1971-02-01), Byron
patent: 3773279 (1973-11-01), Wright
patent: 4174082 (1979-11-01), Eshoo
patent: 4394998 (1983-07-01), Taillet
patent: 4420130 (1983-12-01), Regipa
patent: 4711416 (1987-12-01), Regipa
Regipa Robert
Villaeys Jacques
Barefoot Galen
Centre Nationale d'Etudes Spatiales (C.N.E.S.)
Dutton, Jr. Harold H.
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