Guidance, Navigation and Control of High-Altitude Airships
Abstract
Recent developments in lightweight materials and renewable energy technologies have sparked a renewed interest in an old concept. Airships have been flying since 1852, and have been serving the U.S. military since 1908. Since their inception, they have been used for sightseeing, civilian and military transport, and most recently, advertising. However, the potential of these lighter-than-air vehicles has not yet been fully tapped. With recent advances in ultra-lightweight fabrics, composites, and thin-film solar cells, airships can now reach the stratosphere and sustain powered flight using only solar energy. This concept of a high altitude airship (HAA) represents a new service platform that compliments, and in many ways, outperforms satellites. Flying in the calmest region of the atmosphere, above all cloud cover and all regulated air traffic, the HAA is designed to station-keep at an altitude range of 65-70 km, or 19-21 thousand feet. Unlike satellites, airships can maintain any geostationary position; their close-proximity offers improved uplink capability; they are serviceable and easily re-stationed; and they do not carry the burden of high launch costs. Some broad examples of the potential applications include data relay stations for the military and telecommunication industry, mobile observatories for weather and scientific study, and surveillance platforms for activities such as border patrol, disaster relief, and private security. While the potential benefits of the HAA concept are clear, it does remain a concept. To advance from the design stage to an operational platform, the HAA must demonstrate reliable, controlled flight for days, weeks, and eventually months at a time. The unique dynamics of the HAA vehicle make this a challenging task, with widely varying mass properties, significant effects from added mass and inertia, and high sensitivity to wind.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2006
- Accession Number
- ADA449841
Entities
People
- Joseph Mueller