A high altitude balloon, including a method and machine for manufacture, uses a perimeter border strip to couple two circular balloon panels with a lap or butt seal. Simultaneous sealing of two perimeter seals, one between the border strip and each of two balloon panels, is provided by supporting stacked balloon panels on a rotatable support and sealing around the full perimeter of the two interposed balloon panels and the border strip. The method and machine for manufacture allow for the mass production of high altitude balloons and minimize necessary material handling. The perimeter border strip can be dispensed and guided relative to the perimeter of the balloon panels for positioning before sealing together, as a bonding device is rotated relative to the balloon envelope.

A system for forming a tendon sleeve on an atmospheric balloon is described herein, the system comprising a coupling assembly including a seam coupling mechanism that forms a seam joint between a first gore panel and a second gore panel, the seam joint is spaced from respective first and second lateral edges of the first and second gore panels to form first and second edge flanges, and an edge coupling mechanism that forms an edge joint between the first and second edge flanges and closes a tendon sleeve, the edge joint spaced from the seam joint, the tendon sleeve includes a tendon sleeve passage between the seam joint and the edge joint and between the first and second edge flanges. The system also includes a tendon positioning mechanism that positions a tendon within the tendon sleeve passage. A tendon sleeve formed by this system is also described herein.

Aspects of the disclosure relate to manufacturing a balloon envelope for use in a stratospheric balloon system. For instance, a stream of polyethylene mixture us extruded. through an extruder in order to orient molecules of polymer chains of polyethylene and to provide an oriented film. The oriented film is passed through an electron beam and thereby crosslinking the polymer chains to provide a cross-linked film. The cross-linked film is heat sealed to form the balloon envelope

A non-compliant fiber-reinforced medical balloon comprises a first fiber layer and a second fiber layer embedded in a continuous matrix of thermally-weldable polymer material defining a barrel wall, cone walls and neck walls. The fibers of the first fiber layer run substantially parallel to one another and substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis. The fibers of the first fiber layer have a pattern of different lengths and are divisible into a first group and a second group based on length.

Aspects of the disclosure relate to envelopes for aerial vehicle. The aerial vehicle may include an envelope including a plurality of gores. The aerial vehicle may also include a seal arranged between a pair of the plurality of gores, the seal including six layers of envelope material heat-sealed together.

Aspects of the disclosure relate to envelopes for aerial vehicle. The aerial vehicle may include an envelope including a plurality of gores. The aerial vehicle may also include a seal arranged between a pair of the plurality of gores, the seal including six layers of envelope material heat-sealed together.

A non-compliant fiber-reinforced medical balloon comprises a first fiber layer and a second fiber layer embedded in a continuous matrix of thermally-weldable polymer material defining a barrel wall, cone walls and neck walls. The fibers of the first fiber layer have a pattern of different lengths and are divisible into a first group and a second group based on length. The length of the fibers of the second group varies progressively in accordance to their proximity to the fibers of the first group; the fibers of the second group closest to the fibers of the first group being longer than the fibers of the second group further from the fibers of the first group. The fiber of the second fiber layer winds circumferentially around the longitudinal axis of the balloon substantially over the entire length of the balloon.

Aspects of the disclosure relate to manufacturing a balloon envelope for use in a stratospheric balloon system. For instance, a stream of polyethylene mixture us extruded through an extruder in order to orient molecules of polymer chains of polyethylene and to provide an oriented film. The oriented film is passed through an electron beam and thereby crosslinking the polymer chains to provide a cross-linked film. The cross-linked film is heat sealed to form the balloon envelope.

The technology relates to a heat sealing system (400). For instance, the heat sealing system may include a sealer assembly (800) including a pair of heat sealing bars (830, 840) configured to generate heat seals. The heat sealing system may also include a positioning (900) assembly including a platform (910) and a motor (952). The sealer assembly may be mounted to the positioning assembly, and the motor may be configured to move the sealer assembly towards and away from an edge of a table (1600).

Aspects of the disclosure relate to manufacturing a balloon envelope for use in a stratospheric balloon system. For instance, a stream of polyethylene mixture us extruded through an extruder in order to orient molecules of polymer chains of polyethylene and to provide an oriented film. The oriented film is passed through an electron beam and thereby crosslinking the polymer chains to provide a cross-linked film. The cross-linked film is heat sealed to form the balloon envelope.