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.
대표청구항▼
1. A stratospheric-visit system, relating to a stratospheric visit using lighter-than-air travel, comprising: a) a payload system structured and arranged to provide at least one payload;b) a launch system structured and arranged to launch the payload;c) wherein said launch system comprisesa lighter-
1. A stratospheric-visit system, relating to a stratospheric visit using lighter-than-air travel, comprising: a) a payload system structured and arranged to provide at least one payload;b) a launch system structured and arranged to launch the payload;c) wherein said launch system comprisesa lighter-than-air propulsion system, a tethering system structured and arranged to tether, initially to ground, said lighter-than-air propulsion system, andan un-tethering system structured and arranged to un-tether, from the ground, said lighter-than-air propulsion system;e) a travel control system structured and arranged to control, in the stratospheric visit, travel of the payload;f) a communication system structured and arranged for communication during said stratospheric-visit; andg) a recovery system structured and arranged to recover the payload;h) wherein said recovery system comprisesa separator system structured and arranged to perform separation of the payload from said lighter-than-air propulsion system,at least one drogue parachute structured and arranged to decelerate the payload after the separation of the payload from said lighter-than-air propulsion system, wherein the drogue parachute comprises:a bridle line for coupling the drogue parachute to the payload; anda drogue stiffener comprising an elongate carbon fiber rod coupled to the bridle line for stiffening an elongate portion of the bridle line to prevent entanglement of the bridle line with the payload and to separate the payload from the drogue parachute; andat least one parafoil to assist landing of the payload. 2. The stratospheric-visit system according to claim 1 further comprising: a) coupling device for coupling said drogue parachute within the at least one payload;b) wherein said coupling device comprises a distance separating device for distance-separating said drogue parachute from the at least one payload; andc) wherein said distance separating device comprises a compressive-resistance control system for controlling compressive resistance of said distance separating device to assist the distance separation of said drogue parachute from the at least one payload;d) wherein controlling distance separation of said drogue parachute from the at least one payload is achieved. 3. The stratospheric-visit system according to claim 1 wherein said elongate carbon fiber rod has a c-shaped cross section for coupling the drogue stiffener around the bridle line for assisting prevention of tangling of said coupling device with the at least one payload. 4. The stratospheric-visit system according to claim 2 wherein said distance separating device comprises burble-confine penetrator means for assisting said drogue parachute to penetrate at least one burble confine during deployment of said parachute system. 5. The stratospheric-visit system according to claim 1 wherein said drogue parachute is stowed in a coiled configuration and is deployable by self springing into a linear and stiffened configuration. 6. The stratospheric-visit system according to claim 1 further comprising: a) coupling means for coupling said drogue parachute within the at least one payload;b) wherein said coupling means comprises distance separating means for distance-separating said drogue parachute from the at least one payload;c) wherein said distance separating means comprises compressive-resistance control means for controlling compressive resistance of said distance separating means to assist the distance separation of said drogue parachute from the at least one payload; andd) wherein controlling distance separation of said drogue parachute from the at least one payload is achieved. 7. The stratospheric-visit system according to claim 6 wherein said distance separating means comprises anti-tangling means for assisting prevention of tangling of said coupling means with the at least one payload. 8. The stratospheric-visit system according to claim 6 wherein said distance separating means comprises burble-confine penetrator means for assisting said parachute system to penetrate at least one burble confine during deployment of said parachute system. 9. A stratospheric-visit method, relating to a stratospheric visit using lighter-than-air travel, comprising the steps of: a) providing at least one payloadb) launching the payload;c) wherein the step of launching comprises the steps ofpropelling the payload with a lighter-than-air propulsion system, tethering, initially to ground, the lighter-than-air propulsion system, andun-tethering, from the ground, the lighter-than-air propulsion system;e) controlling travel, in the stratospheric visit, of the payload, wherein the payload reaches altitudes of at least 70,000 ft;f) communicating, during the stratospheric visit, with the payload; andg) recovering the payload;h) wherein the step of recovering comprises the steps of performing separation of the payload from the lighter-than-air propulsion system,using a deployed drogue parachute to decelerate the payload after the separation of the payload from the lighter-than-air propulsion system, wherein the drogue parachute comprises:a bridle line for coupling the drogue parachute to the payload; anda drogue stiffener coupled to the bridle line for stiffening an elongate portion of the bridle line to prevent entanglement of the bridle line with the payload during descent and to separate the payload from the drogue parachute; andfurther decelerating the payload with a parafoil wherein the parafoil is deployed at an altitude less than that at which the drogue parachute is deployed. 10. The stratospheric-visit method according to claim 9 wherein only the parafoil is used to decelerate the payload. 11. The stratospheric-visit method according to claim 9 wherein only the drogue parachute is used to decelerate the payload. 12. A stratospheric-visit method, relating to a stratospheric visit using lighter-than-air travel, comprising the steps of: a) providing at least one payload comprising at least one drogue parachute system, comprising: a drogue parachute coupled to the payload; andan elongate drogue stiffener comprising a carbon fiber rod configured to prevent entanglement of the drogue parachute with the payload during the descent and to separate the payload from the drogue parachute; andat least one parafoil;b) launching the payload;c) wherein the step of launching comprises the steps ofpropelling the payload with a lighter-than-air propulsion system,tethering, initially to ground, the lighter-than-air propulsion system, andun-tethering, from the ground, the lighter-than-air propulsion system;e) controlling travel, in the stratospheric visit, of the payload;f) communicating, during the stratospheric visit, with the payload; andg) recovering the payload;h) wherein the step of recovering comprises the steps ofperforming separation of the payload from the lighter-than-air propulsion system,decelerating, with the parafoil, the payload after the separation of the payload from the lighter-than-air propulsion system, wherein the payload is decelerated by the parafoil deployed at altitude; andlanding the payload using the parafoil. 13. The stratospheric-visit method according to claim 12 further comprising distance-separating the parafoil from the payload using a compressive resistance device, the step of distance-separating comprises the step of assisting prevention of tangling of the parachute system with the at least one payload. 14. The stratospheric-visit method according to claim 13 wherein the step of distance-separating comprises the step of assisting the parachute system to penetrate at least one burble confine during deployment of the parachute system. 15. The method of claim 9 wherein the drogue stiffener comprises a carbon-fiber slit cylinder having a length of about ten (10) feet. 16. The method of claim 9 wherein the drogue stiffener comprises three carbon-fiber rods. 17. The method of claim 9 wherein the parafoil comprises stiffening members. 18. The method of claim 17 wherein the stiffening members comprise rigidizing members to form a geometry-controlling framework. 19. The method of claim 17 wherein the stiffening members comprise ribs, spars, struts, braces, tension members, or inflated cells.
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