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Code 820: Balloon Projects Office

Super Pressure Balloon Construction and Modeling

  • The Super Pressure Balloon is basically a 2-part system.
    • Zylon tendon
    • Polyethylene film
  • The project has extensive component test data. Materials research has clarified critical Super Pressure Balloon material properties.
    • There are sufficient test data of materials (film cylinder tests, tendon tests, etc.) to determine their strength, and these have been applied to the design and analytical process.
    • Operational loads are well below material limits.
  • The current Super Pressure Balloon is a 200 lobed structure, and is straightforward to model and analyze at float at constant pressure.
    • Project has gone the extra step of using actual fabrication measurements to refine the predicated stresses in the flight balloon.
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