Airships: A New Horizon for Science - Summit on Tethers

November 18, 2013
California Institute of Technology -, Pasadena, CA 91125

Overview:

Stratospheric tethered aerostats have emerged as a compelling technological consideration throughout our study regarding science on airships. A tethered balloon platform could accomodate many of the science goals developed and organized by our study. While a tethered aerostat has never been successfully launched into the stratosphere, because of its immense promise we require a focused meeting of the top experts in high-altitude ballooning and aerostat technology together with the scientists and experimentalists organizing the broad range of science goals emerging from our study. Brainstorming sessions and discussions will focus on what is required for a trade study and technological demo for follow-on, to see this well-motivated technology onto success and broader impacts in both science and industry.

Team Leads

  • Lynne Hillenbrand

    Lynne Hillenbrand

    Caltech

  • Jason Rhodes

    Jason Rhodes

    JPL

  • Robert Fesen

    Robert Fesen

    Dartmouth

  • Sarah Holmes Miller

    U.C. Riverside and Caltech

Presentations

Speaker Affiliation Presentation
Rob Fesen Dartmouth College An Airship Platform vs. A Tethered Balloon Platform for Science Applications
(2.8 MB pdf)
Mike Smith Aerostar International, Inc. Historical Literature Survey and Technical Summary of High
(5.6 MB pdf)
Sara Smoot Stanford University Conceptual Design and Passive Stability of Tethered Platforms
(3.8 MB pdf)