The purpose of this invention, which is referred to as a vacuustat, is to generate buoyancy in the atmosphere by means of an evacuated or partially evacuated container, rather than by using a lighter-than-air lifting gas such as hydrogen or helium. This particular vacuustat design comprises a flexible airtight membrane supported by a fractal tensegrity internal structure consisting of a relatively small mass of compressive members forced into higher-order buckling modes through use of tension members. The advantages of such a design over conventional aerostats include superior buoyancy control for ascent and descent, greatly increased flight endurance, and cost-effectiveness in operation. This particular vacuustat design has a much greater lifting efficiency than previous designs, and should also be easier and more cost-effective to manufacture.


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    Title :

    Lighter-than-air fractal tensegrity structures


    Contributors:

    Publication date :

    2020-04-21


    Type of media :

    Patent


    Type of material :

    Electronic Resource


    Language :

    English


    Classification :

    IPC:    B64B LIGHTER-THAN-AIR AIRCRAFT , Luftfahrzeuge leichter als Luft



    Lighter-Than-Air Fractal Tensegrity Structures

    RAPPORT NATHAN | European Patent Office | 2017

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