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.

A hybrid airship has both aerostatic and aerodynamic lift comprising: an engine, a flexible external envelope (2) and at least one primary enclosure Ep filled with lifting gas (G). The primary enclosure Ep having an elastic wall P.sub.1 separating this enclosure from compartment C.sub.1, the latter having an elastic wall P.sub.1 separating compartment C.sub.1 from compartment C.sub.i, the latter having an elastic wall P.sub.i+1 separating the compartment C.sub.i from compartment C.sub.i+1, and so on up until elastic wall P.sub.J+1 separating compartment C.sub.J from compartment C.sub.J+1 where J corresponds to a whole number greater than or equal to 1, each compartment C.sub.i being equally delimited by the flexible exterior envelope. The hybrid airship includes a) a valve V.sub.i between each compartment C.sub.i and its adjacent compartment C.sub.i+1, and b) a controller (22) for the valve V.sub.i.

A hybrid airship has both aerostatic and aerodynamic lift comprising: an engine, a flexible external envelope (2) and at least one primary enclosure Ep filled with lifting gas (G). The primary enclosure Ep having an elastic wall P.sub.1 separating this enclosure from compartment C.sub.1, the latter having an elastic wall P.sub.1 separating compartment C.sub.1 from compartment C.sub.i, the latter having an elastic wall P.sub.i+1 separating the compartment C.sub.i from compartment C.sub.i+1, and so on up until elastic wall P.sub.J+1 separating compartment C.sub.J from compartment C.sub.J+1 where J corresponds to a whole number greater than or equal to 1, each compartment C.sub.i being equally delimited by the flexible exterior envelope. The hybrid airship includes a) a valve V.sub.i between each compartment C.sub.i and its adjacent compartment C.sub.i+1, and b) a controller (22) for the valve V.sub.i.

A gas barrier material includes an atomic sheet, such as graphene and/or an analog of graphene. The gas barrier material can be arranged as part of a component, such as a container or other vessel, to limit the flow or permeation of gas through the component. Where the component is a container or part of a container, the gas barrier material may be formulated and arranged to limit or prevent gas ingress or egress with respect to the internal volume of the container. The atomic sheet offers improved gas barrier properties compared to traditional polymeric barrier materials and is particularly useful in applications where it is desired to limit permeation of small gas molecules such as helium, such as airships or other lighter than air vehicles.

A gas barrier material includes an atomic sheet, such as graphene and/or an analog of graphene. The gas barrier material can be arranged as part of a component, such as a container or other vessel, to limit the flow or permeation of gas through the component. Where the component is a container or part of a container, the gas barrier material may be formulated and arranged to limit or prevent gas ingress or egress with respect to the internal volume of the container. The atomic sheet offers improved gas barrier properties compared to traditional polymeric barrier materials and is particularly useful in applications where it is desired to limit permeation of small gas molecules such as helium, such as airships or other lighter than air vehicles.

The present invention pertains to aeronautical engineering and consists of an airborne platform for power generation through wind energy harnessing that can be built to large sizes without requiring a rigid structure of comparable dimensions and which uses both buoyancy and the aerodynamic Magnus effect for lift. The aerodynamic lift is generated in lifting bodies (1), which also contain buoyant gas. The lifting bodies (1) are stacked in a column, at the bottom of which there is a structural anchoring module (2) which also contains buoyant gas. The lifting bodies (1) and anchoring modules (2) are connected by slender structural elements which, when taken together as a whole form a non-rigid assembly.

The present invention pertains to aeronautical engineering and consists of an airborne platform for power generation through wind energy harnessing that can be built to large sizes without requiring a rigid structure of comparable dimensions and which uses both buoyancy and the aerodynamic Magnus effect for lift. The aerodynamic lift is generated in lifting bodies (1), which also contain buoyant gas. The lifting bodies (1) are stacked in a column, at the bottom of which there is a structural anchoring module (2) which also contains buoyant gas. The lifting bodies (1) and anchoring modules (2) are connected by slender structural elements which, when taken together as a whole form a non-rigid assembly.

A gas barrier material includes an atomic sheet, such as graphene and/or an analog of graphene. The gas barrier material can be arranged as part of a component, such as a container or other vessel, to limit the flow or permeation of gas through the component. Where the component is a container or part of a container, the gas barrier material may be formulated and arranged to limit or prevent gas ingress or egress with respect to the internal volume of the container. The atomic sheet offers improved gas barrier properties compared to traditional polymeric barrier materials and is particularly useful in applications where it is desired to limit permeation of small gas molecules such as helium, such as airships or other lighter than air vehicles.

An altitude movement device comprising of a ballonet within an outer envelope with the ballonet configured to control buoyancy and an apparent wind generating device combined with the altitude movement device to generate an apparent wind to propel the vehicle laterally with respect to the direction of the jet stream.

An altitude movement device comprising of a ballonet within an outer envelope with the ballonet configured to control buoyancy and an apparent wind generating device combined with the altitude movement device to generate an apparent wind to propel the vehicle laterally with respect to the direction of the jet stream.