Inflatable wing flight vehicle
First Claim
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1. A method of preparing a device for delivery from Earth to a planetary body having an atmosphere, comprising:
- providing a base unit, wherein the base unit comprises solar panels, batteries, and sensors;
providing an inflatable airfoil configured to form a lifting body when inflated, wherein the lifting body is configured to provide active lift when in forward motion through an atmosphere of a planetary body other than Earth and also to provide static lift in the atmosphere of the planetary body;
flushing the inflatable airfoil with a lifting gas to remove Earth air and other contaminants from the inflatable airfoil;
restraining the inflatable airfoil in a collapsed configuration;
securing the inflatable airfoil to the base unit to thereby form an aircraft.
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Abstract
The invention is an aircraft having an inflatable wing connected to a base unit, with the inflatable wing inflated with a lifting gas such as helium. The inflatable wing has a series of cell structures, and may be configured with ballonets to selectively introduce and expel outside air within the inflatable wing to vary the buoyancy and/or airfoil properties of the inflatable wing. The aircraft is particularly useful at low speeds and in thin atmospheres (such as at high Earth altitudes and on Mars), and can be used for interplanetary missions to explore planetary bodies, such as moons and planets, having atmospheres.
31 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A method of preparing a device for delivery from Earth to a planetary body having an atmosphere, comprising:
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providing a base unit, wherein the base unit comprises solar panels, batteries, and sensors; providing an inflatable airfoil configured to form a lifting body when inflated, wherein the lifting body is configured to provide active lift when in forward motion through an atmosphere of a planetary body other than Earth and also to provide static lift in the atmosphere of the planetary body; flushing the inflatable airfoil with a lifting gas to remove Earth air and other contaminants from the inflatable airfoil; restraining the inflatable airfoil in a collapsed configuration; securing the inflatable airfoil to the base unit to thereby form an aircraft. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method of preparing a device for delivery from Earth to a planetary body having an atmosphere, comprising:
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providing a base unit, wherein the base unit comprises one or more canisters containing lifting gas; and providing an inflatable airfoil configured to form a lifting body when inflated, wherein the inflatable airfoil comprises a plurality of individual cells; flushing the inflatable airfoil with lifting gas to remove Earth air and other contaminants from the inflatable airfoil; restraining the inflatable airfoil in a collapsed configuration; and securing the inflatable airfoil to the base unit to thereby form an aircraft, including connecting the one or more canisters containing lifting gas to the inflatable airfoil so as to selectively provide lifting gas to the inflatable airfoil. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification