High-altitude balloons, filmy bags of helium floating at altitudes that no known airplane can sustain, have attracted increasing attention as the US Air Force has looked at “near space” — above air traffic, with long lines of sight — as an operating regime. One snag: balloons go whither the wind blows, payload and all.
A USAF-sponsored project to deal with that problem, Talon Topper, has been under way for several years, and a critical demonstration has just been disclosed. Contractor Near Space Corporation — based in Oregon — has successfully tested a Payload Return Vehicle (PRV), a radical lifting-body glider that can safely descend from very high altitudes to a controlled landing, returning an instrument package to a desired location.
Alert readers will instantly recognize the PRV for what it is — a close relative of the Facetmobile, the all-flat-surface personal aircraft designed and test-flown by Barnaby Wainfan, who is employed in civilian life as as an ace aerodynamicist at Northrop Grumman.
Important aspects of the design include the ability to stay under control in a Mach 0.98 dive (don’t try that with a conventional glider design), very light weight (useful for something carried by a balloon) and a shape that readily accommodates large payloads and antennas. It also has a very low stalling speed for easy and safe recovery. Faceting is not there for stealth but to make the aircraft easy to build.
See the entire entry from Aviation Week’s Ares blog at Military.com.
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
There are plenty of Stratosphere platforms, and this glider will add mobility, but my interest is in the (mesosphere) gap between the Stratosphere and LEO (20Km-180Km zone). There is no mesosphere platform so far that could float long duration like the blimps and satellites. Mesosphere the last frontier for long duration flight platforms (the blimps will do the job at stratosphere). Hypersoar may be close flying betweem 40Km-60Km above, bounding on the atmosphere, but cost performance and the duration it could operate without landing is a challenge.
I’m hardly an expert on any of this, but it seems to me that a balloon fitted with a small solar powered prop would be lighter and allow the payload to stay in place almost indefinitely. I could be wrong, but i believe there is very little wind over 60,000 feet (over the jet stream?) so it would take little power to hold position. Much more effective than an uncontrolled balloon that has a recoverable payload.
Geologist discovers link to the next 911 in global warning policy
Geologist discovers link to the next 911 in global warning policy
http://www.H2onE2.com Glacial Respiration, Conceptual Ring of Ice, The End of Linear Western Religion
A Geological Exploration of an E2 Earthen Planet And the H2 Human Species
Author: B Billy Marse, Professional Geologist
Brief Description:
http://www.H2onE2.com is an exploration of the universe, geology, climate, biology, humans, psychology, folklore and ancient structures to uncover the beginning and disclose the end of linear western religion. The true DaVinci Code behind the bible is not a supreme spiritual power but a scientific record of climate change described as Glacial Respiration. The Greek philosophers originated the practice of communicating a hidden idea or message in the short story format, as a metaphor. In the bible, metaphors conceal historic climate change within the fanciful stories. The theory of Glacial Respiration explains the myth behind the Holy Grail, structures such as the Great Pyramids, Stonehenge, Easter Island and is the knowledge that was collected in the Jewish Ark of the Covenant.
The environmental changes of Glacial Respiration determine all biological evolution and can explain why higher forms of intelligent humans developed. Further, Glacial Respiration releases the secret hidden by the Knights Templars, Masonic Order and all religions. Uncovers an advanced Blue-Blooded semi-industrial Atlantian Civilization that was built and destroyed many times over for the last million years. The book ends with an explanation of how linear western religion will be physically ended and describes the construction of the doomsday device capable of fulfilling its own self defining prophesy,
Geologist discovers link to the next 911 in global warning policy
Geologist discovers link to the next 911 in global warning policy
http://www.H2onE2.com Glacial Respiration, Conceptual Ring of Ice, The End of Linear Western Religion
A Geological Exploration of an E2 Earthen Planet And the H2 Human Species
Author: B Billy Marse, Professional Geologist
Brief Description:
http://www.H2onE2.com is an exploration of the universe, geology, climate, biology, humans, psychology, folklore and ancient structures to uncover the beginning and disclose the end of linear western religion. The true DaVinci Code behind the bible is not a supreme spiritual power but a scientific record of climate change described as Glacial Respiration. The Greek philosophers originated the practice of communicating a hidden idea or message in the short story format, as a metaphor. In the bible, metaphors conceal historic climate change within the fanciful stories. The theory of Glacial Respiration explains the myth behind the Holy Grail, structures such as the Great Pyramids, Stonehenge, Easter Island and is the knowledge that was collected in the Jewish Ark of the Covenant.
The environmental changes of Glacial Respiration determine all biological evolution and can explain why higher forms of intelligent humans developed. Further, Glacial Respiration releases the secret hidden by the Knights Templars, Masonic Order and all religions. Uncovers an advanced Blue-Blooded semi-industrial Atlantian Civilization that was built and destroyed many times over for the last million years. The book ends with an explanation of how linear western religion will be physically ended and describes the construction of the doomsday device capable of fulfilling its own self defining prophesy,
I have 2 things to say:
1.cool pic
2.b billy marse…..your a douche.
that is all.
“Faceting is not there for stealth but to make the aircraft easy to build.”
WADR, they’re not mutually exclusive.
If it can take Mach .98, even at altitude, and it can run on a Rotax, with a low stall speed, maybe we need to put a high bypass turbofan or two in those chines, and see what else it can do.
Albeit, carrying more weight.
To replace the shuttle YES.
For commercial use, Yes.
For the Joe 6 pack into Space Yes.
Now lets mass produce this craft & get into Space.
Im Ready, Im Gone.
http://www.gpsboomerang.com/
We been and done this already. This guy did it with like $40k US. Not $bazzillion US like a US government development would cost. Commercially available.