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Retest of First ~ 27m Balloon Trussed
- Can we modify the balloon that did not deploy to a configuration that would allow it to deploy?
- Modify the first ~27 m "Sweden replicate" balloon
- 10 gores were "removed" from the balloon by trussing adjacent tendons together
- Locations were evenly distributed around the structure.
- This "trussing"
- Eliminated all of the excess material toward the poles on the balloon
- Significantly reduced the excess material at the equator
- Changed the resulting lobe angle at the equator from 103 degrees to 84 degrees
- Modified balloon was retested on August 2, 2007
- Trussed balloon fully deployed easily at a very low differential, ~5 Pa
- 6 of the trussed locations were freed from the base up to ~70 of the gore length and the balloon remained fully deployed.
- Indications are that reduction in the excess material near the poles, and/or reduction of the lobe angle (excess material at the equator) can reduce or eliminate the clefting
