Three-Dimensional Gore Design Concept for High-Pressure Balloons

Abstract

Anewdesign concept, named three-dimensionalgoredesign,isinvestigated forthedevelopmentof alargesuperpressure balloon capable of carrying a heavy payload. The theoretical and experimental studies are contrasted with the conventional natural shape balloon design. Each gore of the three-dimensional gore balloon has a bulge of small local radius between adjacent load tapes. This bulge is obtained not by e lm elongation but by adding excess e lm in both the circumferential and meridional directions. The longer edge of the gore is attached to the shorter load tape in a controlled shortening ratio. The e lm tension is zero in the meridian and extremely low in the circumferential direction in proportion to small local radius of a bulge. In addition, the maximum pressure of this balloon does not depend on the balloon volume. Test balloons of several sizes have been manufactured to cone rm the feasibility of the three-dimensional design concept. Indoor full ine ation tests and a e ight test of these balloons have been performed successfully.