DE102005013529A1 - Disk-shaped airship e.g. flying disk for carrying communication systems in stratosphere, has two spherical caps of gas-tight material welded together whereby flying body is very flat as compared to conventional airships - Google Patents

Abstract

The airship, has two spherical caps of gas-tight material, which are welded together. The flying body is very flat as compared to the conventional airships. Pay load carrier (2) consists of a circular ring of very sturdy and light honeycomb material and that stabilizes the flying body at the same time.

Description

• 1.) als Träger für Kommunikations-Systeme in der Stratosphäre (20 bis 30 km Höhe) für mehrere Wochen oder Monate stationär über einem bestimmten Gebiet stehen soll (siehe 1) Die Position wird mit Hilfe von GPS, bzw. von Bodenstationen gehalten. Um die Drift durch Winde auszugleichen, bzw. um den Aufstieg und die Landung zu ermöglichen, befinden sich 2 schwenkbare elektrische Antriebsysteme an den Rändern der Flugscheibe (6). Die für den Betrieb notwendige Energie wird durch 2 unabhängige Versorgungssysteme bereitgestellt: • bei Tag durch Solarzellen (8), • und zusätzlich ganzzeitlich durch Empfang und Gleichrichtung von Mikrowellen-Energie (9) von mehreren Bodenstationen (10). • Speicherung der Energie in Doppelschicht-Kondensatoren (Supercaps) oder in Lithium-Ionenakkus.
• 2.) für den Personentransport in niedriger Höhe mit entsprechender Modifikation eingesetzt werden kann (s. 2). Hier erfolgt der Antrieb durch z.B. Wankelmotoren mit Mantelpropeller.

The invention relates to a disc-shaped airship, the

• 1.) as a carrier for communication systems in the stratosphere (20 to 30 km altitude) for several weeks or months stationary over a certain area should be (see 1 ) The position is held with the aid of GPS or ground stations. In order to compensate for the drift by winds, or to allow the ascent and landing, there are 2 swivel electric drive systems at the edges of the flying disc ( 6 ). The energy required for operation is provided by 2 independent supply systems: • by solar cells by day ( 8th ), And additionally all-time by receiving and rectifying microwave energy ( 9 ) from several ground stations ( 10 ). • Storage of energy in double-layer capacitors (supercaps) or in lithium-ion batteries.
• 2.) can be used for passenger transport at low altitude with appropriate modification (s. 2 ). Here, the drive is done by eg Wankel engines with ducted propeller.

WAS STANDING OF THE TECHNIQUE

There Airships require much less energy to fly than airplanes begins again today (mainly because of the high fuel costs) the applications this proven Reevaluate technology.

In front Germany was the leader in the construction of airships during the war; in total were at 130 total projects 119 Zeppelins built.

1937 exploded in Lakehurst the airship LZ 129 (with hydrogen filling) the landing; this event, and the progress in the construction of fast wing aircraft meant the end of the poured passenger airships.

With new, lightweight composite materials, new engines and helium filling will be today again airships for the passenger transport (tourism), as well as a communication platform (in the prototype stage) built.

1.) Airships for communication purposes and monitoring tasks

It is currently flying high altitude platforms worldwide for the above Tasks worked; these so-called "HAPS" (High Altitude Platform Stations) in the future for the telecommunications and surveillance tasks a big Gain meaning. They allow it, mobile radio, broadcasting; Watch TV, Internet, etc. about Agglomerations with low transmission power (a few watts) and thereby make a landline network with all its Problems and costs unnecessary.

A such platform can be an area on the earth's surface with operate within a radius of up to 300 km and stops because of the low Price (about 1/10 of satellites) and the maintainability of the systems one very inexpensive Alternative, especially in thin populated areas and developing countries.

Currently (End of 2004) all projects are in the development or experimental stage. As a carrier system Airplanes or airships are to be used.

• • ARC: Airborne Relay Communications, USA
• • HAA: High Altitude Airship, Lockheed Martin, USA
• • SKYSTATION, USA
• • SKY TOWER, Aero Vironment, USA
• • AVCS, General Atomics, USA
• • HALE: High Altitude Long Endurance, NASA, USA
• • HALO, Proteus, USA
• • SKY LARC Technologies, University of York, England
• • STRATSAT, Advanced Technology Group (ATG), England
• • SPA: Stratospheric Platform Airship, NLA (Ministerium für Telekommunikation), Japan
• • HELIPLAT: Helio Platform ASI, Italian Space Agency
• • HELINET, Europa (Italien, Polen, England, Ungarn, Spanien, Schweiz).
• • LUFTWURM, UNI Stuttgart, Prof. Dr. Kröplin, Deutschland

Here is a list of the most important civil projects:

• • ARC: Airborne Relay Communications, USA
• HAA: High Altitude Airship, Lockheed Martin, USA
• • SKYSTATION, USA
• • SKY TOWER, Aero Vironment, USA
• • AVCS, General Atomic, USA
• • HALE: High Altitude Long Endurance, NASA, USA
• • HALO, Proteus, USA
• • SKY LARC Technologies, University of York, England
• • STRATSAT, Advanced Technology Group (ATG), England
• • SPA: Stratospheric Platform Airship, NLA (Ministry of Telecommunications), Japan
• HELIPLAT: Helio Platform ASI, Italian Space Agency
• • HELINET, Europe (Italy, Poland, England, Hungary, Spain, Switzerland).
• • LUFTWURM, UNI Stuttgart, Prof. dr. Kröplin, Germany

More information about this Projects can be found in App. 2 or on the Internet under the search term "HAPS".

2.) Airships for passenger transport

On In this area the company Zeppelin NT in Friedrichshafen is in Germany leader. (see Appendix 1).

One another airship project (Cargolifter) was discontinued for cost reasons.

DISADVANTAGE OF THE PRIOR ART

To broadband, fast communication Mainly fiber optic cables are used today; for mobile networks numerous antennas must be mounted on buildings, for which may also be paid rent.

The Laying cables in cities is very expensive and time consuming; as well as the installation of mobile radio antennas, also because of the population presumed health risks are barely tolerated by RF radiation become.

The Problem will be exacerbated by the establishment of UMTS networks, since for this new one Net in addition numerous new antennas needed become. Also, the construction of communication networks in sparsely populated Areas such as e.g. in developing countries is problematic for cost reasons and is expected to take a long time.

For longer monitoring tasks from the air at close range (for example, border patrol, traffic control and control, etc.) are currently mainly helicopters used, which are very noisy and expensive in operation.

1.) Problems with communication platforms

There the airship stationary in about 20 km altitude above a Agglomeration area needs It has a strong drive to wind speeds up to 50m per Sec; Furthermore becomes the drive for the ascent and descent of the airship needed.

There the air for Combustion engines at this high altitude is too thin (about 1% of the air pressure on the ground), is being researched worldwide for alternative drives.

to This issue is still unresolved in all the projects listed above (see HAPS report attached).

The same applies to the planned civilian and military surveillance airships.

2.) Airship for passenger transport

Currently there there are only a few ready-to-use airships for passenger transport; she Most have a Zeppelin shape and are mainly used in tourism and for Advertising purposes used.

• • Niedrige Geschwindigkeiten durch hohen Luftwiderstand (max. 100 km/h),
• • Große Windempfindlichkeit,
• • Eine notwendige Bodenmannschaft von bis zu 20 Personen.
• • Schwierige Landung bei starkem Wind.

The main disadvantages of these conventional airships are:

• • Low speeds due to high air resistance (max 100 km / h),
• • high wind sensitivity,
• • A necessary ground crew of up to 20 people.
• • Difficult landing in strong winds.

TASK THE INVENTION

airships have some basically other properties than airplanes. A plane flies through the generated buoyancy on the wings; it therefore always needs a horizontal speed.

One Airship receives its buoyancy through the carrier gas, today normally incombustible helium, in special cases also the much cheaper hydrogen. One cubic meter of helium has about the carrying capacity of one kilogram. So you need a lot of volume to to carry a lot of weight. Therefore, conventional airships are voluminous bodies with high Air resistance.

• • Horizontalgeschwindigkeit von ca. 150 km/h erreichen kann,
• • eigenstabil ist und im
• • Vorwärtsflug Auftrieb erzeugt, um Energie zu sparen; außerdem soll es
• • unabhängig von Bodeneinrichtungen und -Mannschaften
• • senkrecht starten und landen können.

The object of the invention is to provide an easy-to-build airship with low air resistance, the one

• • can reach horizontal speed of about 150 km / h,
• • is intrinsically stable and im
• • forward flight generates lift to save energy; besides, it should
• • independent of ground facilities and crews
• • can start and land vertically.

SOLUTION OF THE TASK

These enumerated above Properties are characterized by the aerodynamically favorable elliptical shape of the missile, the swivel el. drive systems and the simple construction elements reached; For details see construction drawing.

ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION

1.) As a carrier for communication systems (HAPS)

• • die gesamte obere Oberfläche kann mit Solarzellen (8) bedeckt werden, die durch den geringen Krümmungsradius der Hülle einen guten Wirkungsgrad ohne Nachführung zur Sonne haben.
• • Die gesamte Unterseite wird als Empfangsantenne für die Mikrowellen-Energie (9) von den Bodenstationen benützt und kann so bei Nacht (und auch bei Tag) die notwendige Leistung für den Betrieb der Plattform liefern.
• • Durch das Aufheizen des Traggases (bei Tag durch die Erwärmung der Solarzellen und bei Nacht durch die Verlustwärme der Mikrowellen-Antenne) kann die Höhe des Luftschiffes ohne Stromverbrauch reguliert werden.
• • Die für den Betrieb notwendigen Geräte (Pufferkondensatoren, Batterien, Kommunikationseinrichtungen, Empfangs- und Sendeantennen etc. werden in einem Kreisring am Rand des Flugkörpers (Nutzlastträger) (2) untergebracht (einfache Wartung und Montage).
• • Durch die um 90 Grad schwenkbaren Motorgondeln (6) kann jedes Flugmanöver ausgeführt werden (Horizontalflug, senkrechter Start und Landung, Drehungen etc.)

The proposed elliptical shape has, in addition to the favorable air resistance, the following advantages:

• • the entire upper surface can be replaced with solar cells ( 8th ) are covered, which have a good efficiency without tracking to the sun due to the small radius of curvature of the shell.
• • The entire underside is used as a receiving antenna for the microwave energy ( 9 ) is used by the ground stations and can thus provide the necessary power for the operation of the platform at night (and also during the day).
• • By heating the carrier gas (during the day by heating the solar cells and at Night by the heat loss of the microwave antenna), the height of the airship can be regulated without power consumption.
• • The equipment required for operation (buffer capacitors, batteries, communication equipment, receiving and transmitting antennas, etc.) are placed in a circular ring at the edge of the missile (payload carrier) ( 2 ) (easy maintenance and installation).
• • Due to the 90 ° swiveling motor gondolas ( 6 ) every flight maneuver can be carried out (horizontal flight, vertical take-off and landing, turns, etc.)

• Gashülle (1), dem kreisringförmigen
• Nutzlastträger aus Wabenmaterial (2) und
• Kohlenfaser-Rohre (3) zur Stabilisierung der Gashülle und des FK, die zugleich die Landebeine (4) darstellen.
• • Bei der Landung können die einzelnen Beine durch Druckluft verkürzt werden, so dass bei starkem Wind der FK schräg steht und so durch den Wind auf den Boden gepresst wird. Die Landekissen (5) am Ende der Beine werden nach Bodenberührung mit Wasser gefüllt und fesseln durch ihr Gewicht den FK zusätzlich an den Boden; beim Start wird das Wasser durch ein Ventil abgelassen.
• • Für den Fall eines plötzlichen Gasverlustes ist auf der Oberseite des FK ein Fallschirm (7) untergebracht, der den FK sicher und unbeschädigt zur Erde bringt. Auch ohne Fallschirm würde der FK durch seine Form relativ langsam und eigenstabil zu Boden sinken.
• • Schnell und billig zu realisieren. Da der FK nur aus wenigen Teilen besteht (Gashülle, Nutzlast-Kreisring und Kohlenstoff-Rohre), könnte er relativ schnell und billig realisiert werden.

Simple construction. The missile consists essentially of the

• Gas envelope ( 1 ), the annular
• Payload carrier made of honeycomb material ( 2 ) and
• Carbon fiber tubes ( 3 ) for the stabilization of the gas envelope and the FK, which at the same time 4 ).
• • When landing, the individual legs can be shortened by compressed air, so that in strong wind, the FK is at an angle and is thus pressed by the wind on the ground. The landing cushions ( 5 ) at the end of the legs are filled with water after touching the ground and additionally tie the FK to the ground due to their weight; when starting, the water is drained through a valve.
• • In the event of a sudden loss of gas, a parachute is on the top of the FK ( 7 ), which brings the FK safely and undamaged to earth. Even without a parachute, the FK would sink relatively slowly and inherently stable to the ground due to its shape.
• • Fast and cheap to realize. Since the FK consists of only a few parts (gas envelope, payload annulus and carbon tubes), it could be realized relatively quickly and cheaply.

Example:

For a load capacity of about 3000 kg (volume about 3200 cubic meters) would have the FK a radius of 20 m at a height of 5 m.

The gas shell would in weigh approx. 270 kg in this example. For further details see calculation examples i. Anh ..

Of the payload carrier could made up of many circular segments of HEXCELL that are being assembled glued or screwed.

Also the carbon fiber tubes could from individual pieces of pipe pushed together and glued together.

When Drive could already existing electric motors used with appropriate propellers be (for above example approx. 50 kW el. power).

2.) As a carrier for passenger aviation

In the US has been around for a while Time already at NASA on a feeder system called SATS (Small Aircraft Transportation System) worked to the foreseeable Collapse of the Nahtransportsystems to prevent.

SATS consists of many other innovations as well as a GPS and computer-controlled flight control system and newly developed aircraft for the Local and feeder traffic.

These new aircraft should be as little as possible Generate noise, Be very secure and have STOL features to small landing pads in the near cities to be able to use (see Ber. i.A .: "From Aircraft commuters ... ").

to Realization of this project will be a corresponding modification of the stratospheric missile proposed being at the bottom of the FK instead of the microwave antenna a Passenger gondola is attached to my all-round view windows.

Of the Drive takes place through 90 degrees rotatable conventional combustion engines with shroud airscrew.

• • Sehr einfache Konstruktion, und damit billig und rasch zu realisieren.
• • Senkrechte Start- und Landemöglichkeit, daher ideal als Zubringer-Flugzeug.
• • Potentiell absturzsicher durch die aerodynamische Form und zusätzlichen Fallschirm.
• • Sehr geringe Lärmerzeugung durch z.B. Wankelmotor mit Fan-Winglets-Propeller.
• • Keine große Bodenmannschaft notwendig wie bei herkömmlichen Luftschiffen; durch die spezielle Form ist eine geringere Windempfindlichkeit gegeben und durch Aus- und Einfahren der Landebeine (Schrägstellung des FK) bei starken Wind wird zusätzlich ein entsprechender aerodynamischer Bodendruck hergestellt. Die Bodenmannschaft (voraussichtlich max.2 Mann) wird voraussichtlich nur zur Befüllung der Landekissen mit Wasserballast benötigt.
• • Bodenfesselung durch Aufnahme von Wasserballast in den Landekissen, eventuell zusätzlich unterstützt durch die Schubkraft der senkrecht stehenden und laufenden Triebwerke.
• • Der Flugkörper ist schwimmfähig durch die mit Luft gefüllten Landekissen; daher großes Einsatzspektrum möglich (Wasser, Land, Wiesen, Wüsten, Schnee, etc.).
• • Es werden nur sehr kleine Landeplätze benötigt (ca. Durchmesser des Flugkörpers).
• • Höhere Geschwindigkeiten als bei herkömmlichen Luftschiffen durch die aerodynamisch günstigere Form und Auftriebserzeugung im Horizontalflug (mit entsprechendem Anstellwinkel).
• • Der Flugbetrieb könnte weitgehendst im unkontrollierten Luftraum (bis 300 m, bzw. zwischen 300 und 900 m über Grund bei entsprechender Sicht) durch eine automatische Flugführung mit GPS, Höhenstaffelung und Kollisionssicherheit durch Rundumsicht-Bord-Radar automatisiert werden.
• • Durch die Panorama-Fenster und Bodensicht bei relativ langsamen Fluggeschwindigkeiten (voraussichtlich. max. 150 km/h) wird ein völlig anderes Flugerlebnis möglich sein, mit der entsprechenden Akzeptanz bei den Passagieren; dazu kommt noch der Komfort durch das großzügige Platzangebot, einen entsprechenden Service und der geringe Lärm in der Kabine.
• • Dieses Transportmittel wäre daher auch ideal für den Tourismus geeignet, wie z.B. für Ausflüge in entlegene Gebiete, Besichtigungsflüge in geringer Höhe, Zubringer zu Inseln ohne Flugplatz etc. Durch den wesentlich geringeren Energieverbrauch als bei Flächenflugzeugen, den geringen Personal- und Wartungskosten, sowie den universellen Landemöglichkeiten wäre dieses Transportmittel eine echte Innovation auf diesem Gebiet.

The advantages of this construction would be as follows:

• • Very simple construction, and therefore cheap and quick to implement.
• • Vertical take-off and landing, therefore ideal as a feeder plane.
• • Potentially crash-proof due to the aerodynamic shape and additional parachute.
• • Very low noise generation due to eg Wankel engine with fan-winglets-propeller.
• • No large ground crew required as with conventional airships; Due to the special shape is a lower wind sensitivity given and by extending and retracting the landing legs (inclination of the FK) in strong wind, a corresponding aerodynamic ground pressure is additionally produced. The ground crew (probably max. 2 men) will probably only be needed to fill the landing cushions with water ballast.
• • Ground bondage by absorbing water ballast in the landing pad, possibly also supported by the thrust of the vertical and running engines.
• • The missile is buoyant with the Air-filled landing pad; therefore a wide range of uses possible (water, land, meadows, deserts, snow, etc.).
• • Only very small landing sites are needed (approx. Diameter of the missile).
• • Higher speeds than conventional airships due to the more aerodynamically favorable shape and lift generation in horizontal flight (with corresponding angle of attack).
• • Flight operations could be automated to a large extent in uncontrolled airspace (up to 300 m, or between 300 and 900 m above ground with appropriate visibility) through automatic flight guidance with GPS, altitude grading and collision safety through all-round on-board radar.
• • Due to the panoramic windows and ground view at relatively slow airspeeds (presumably a maximum of 150 km / h) a completely different flight experience will be possible, with the corresponding acceptance by the passengers; Add to that the comfort due to the generous space, the appropriate service and the low noise in the cabin.
• • This means of transport would therefore also be ideally suited for tourism, such as trips to remote areas, sightseeing flights at low altitude, feeder to islands without airfield etc. Due to the much lower energy consumption than aircraft, the low staff and maintenance costs, and the universal means of transport, this means of transport would be a real innovation in this field.

DESCRIPTION

An exemplary embodiment of the communication platform (HAPS) is shown in FIG.
for use as a means of transport (SATS) in 2

1.) Use as a communication platform

1.1 Missile (FK)

• • Der Gashülle (1),
• • dem Nutzlast-Kreisring (2),
• • den CFK-Rohren (3),
• • den Solarzellen (8),
• • der Mikrowellenantenne (9),
• • den Landebeinen (4),
• • den Fallschirm (7) und
• • den Triebwerken (6).

The FK consists of the main assemblies:

• • The gas envelope ( 1 )
• The payload ring ( 2 )
• • the CFRP pipes ( 3 )
• • the solar cells ( 8th )
• The microwave antenna ( 9 )
• • the landing legs ( 4 )
• • the parachute ( 7 ) and
• • the engines ( 6 ).

1.2 ASSEMBLY

Around to simplify the production and thus save costs exists the payload circular ring of many equal segments of honeycomb material, the when assembling the FK screwed together to form a circular ring, or glued become. After the payload, the two engines and the CFRP pipes mounted be, the annulus by a streamlined fairing (Hartzell or Styrofoam with GRP or CFRP surface).

After that can with the gas filling to be started.

1.3 START

To the start the ballast water from the landing pad through a valve drained. Because the buoyancy force of the gas filling is greater than the weight of the FK is, the airship rises and gets through the two engines and the GPS navigation system Course held.

1.4 OPERATION

After this the deployment height and location, the energy storage will go through by day the solar cells charged (energy balance see appendix); if the supplied energy is insufficient, will add extra energy from the microwave antenna (from the bottom of the gas envelope) delivered, requested by an appropriate signal to the microwave ground stations.

The Height and the position is e.g. determined by GPS and by an appropriate Control of the two engines kept.

Of the unavoidable low gas loss can be caused by electrolysis of entrained water to be balanced for a while.

1.5 LANDING

After this the gas loss can not be compensated, or if necessary Service work, is by an appropriate command of the Landeabstieg initiated.

The possibly required energy for the two engines Course correction is provided by the microwave ground stations.

To completed ground contact The landing pads are filled with ballast water and so the FK to the ground tied up.

1.6 FLOOR STATION

The Ground stations consist of several individual microwave transmitters (for redundancy and security reasons), each station being e.g. 10 KW at 2.5 GHz, focused by appropriate Antennas, radiating up to the platform.

These Frequency is for released for industrial purposes and is e.g. in all microwave ovens used; Therefore, there are also very inexpensive magnetrons with a Efficiency of over 85%.

The Club width is when using appropriate antennas e.g. in 20 km altitude about 50 m (-3 dB limit).

The Microwave energy becomes very high in this frequency range in the atmosphere little steamed (see damping diagram i. A.), so that about 90% of the radiated energy arrive at the platform. Only when it rains is expected with a slightly higher attenuation, but the by increasing the radiated power can be compensated.

1.7 RECEIVER ANTENNA

Of the Reception of the microwaves takes place via a rectifying antenna. This consists of dipoles with intermediate Rectifier diodes.

The Dipoles and the tracks, as well as the diodes can be applied to a Mylar film be (see detail drawing microwave antenna). To increase the Efficiency is behind the dipoles an aluminum foil as a reflector evaporated.

Technical Data of the receiving antenna

By this design can be used with an antenna efficiency of 80 up to 90%.

The additional Mass resulting from the antenna assembly becomes about 0.2 kg per square meter of antenna surface estimated, at a max. Power density of 400 W per square meter. A higher Power density should be without additional Cooling not to be sought.

The best use of the antenna beam by a circular one Receiving antenna. By focusing the energy density decreases in the Do not beam according to the law Round radiator off (1 / r square), but has in the cross section of the beam a Gaussian Distribution (bell curve). That's why the diameter of the beam should be be about 1.3 times as big like the diameter of the receiving antenna.

Around In addition, to get a good overall efficiency, should still circularly polarized waves are used, since these are not complicated beam tracking require. The missile could become by sensors at the antenna edges always on the max. Control energy in the beam center and so also his position over Keep ground (redundant to GPS).

Around possibly a hazard of air traffic or birds by excluding the microwave beam, is at each transmitter also a receiver be present upon the arrival of an echo (From birds or Aircraft) the magnetron shuts off immediately (in ms). During this Take over the time other transmitter, or the energy storage on the platform the supply.

As a general rule is a danger of the air traffic hardly exists, since the cell of the airplane one Faraday cage forms and therefore against electromagn. Disturber is insensitive from the outside. Also the birds are hardly endangered, because the power density and the residence time in the main beam is very high is low.

The Ground stations can either mobile on a truck or fixed, e.g. on a flat roof of a building be installed. The opening angle of the Beam should be as small as possible be so that he in about 30 km a correspondingly small diameter having. The opening angle hangs again depending on the type of antenna used and the size of the reflector.

1.8 TRANSFERABLE PERFORMANCE

Example:

With a radius of the missile of 20 m, the area of the receiving antenna is: 20 × 20 × 3.14 = 1256 square meters;
With a power density of 400 W / qm, an energy of more than 500 KW can be received.

Summary the technical data of the energy transfer

• Working frequency: 2.5 GHz
• Allowed Max. Energy density on the airship without additional cooling: 400 W / sqm
• Spec. Mass of receiving system (estimated): 0.2 kg / sq. M
• Efficiency of the receiving antenna. + Rectification: 0.8 to 0.9
• Transmission efficiency for optimal. Interpretation: about 0.9 (reduction by rain and the projected Ant. Area)
• Transmitter efficiency d. Magnetrons: 0.85
• Total efficiency: approx. 0.3

SUMMARY

• • Horizontalgeschwindigkeit von ca. 150 km/h erreichen kann,
• • eigenstabil ist und im
• • Vorwärtsflug Auftrieb erzeugt, um Energie zu sparen; außerdem soll es möglichst
• • unabhängig von Bodeneinrichtungen und -Mannschaften
• • senkrecht starten und landen können.

The object of the invention is to provide an easy-to-build airship with low air resistance, the one

• • can reach horizontal speed of about 150 km / h,
• • is intrinsically stable and im
• • forward flight generates lift to save energy; besides, it should as possible
• • independent of ground facilities and crews
• • can start and land vertically.

These enumerated above Properties are characterized by the aerodynamically favorable elliptical shape of the missile, the swivel el. drive systems and the simple construction elements reached.

• 1. als Träger für Kommunikationssysteme in großer Höhe (> 20 Km), und
• 2. als Transportmittel für den Nahverkehr.

This missile should fulfill 2 different tasks:

• 1. as a carrier for communication systems at high altitude (> 20 km), and
• 2. as a means of transport for public transport.

The Main problem for the use in poured heights is the drive system because the air is too thin for internal combustion engines (approx. 1% of the air pressure from the ground). The supply of stationary elevation platforms with energy through microwaves and solar energy represents a technical very elegant solution as they are from the standpoint of reliability and also in terms of cost each think of another solution is.

The Components for the construction of such a drive system are available and with the current state of technology can be realized.

 1

gas shell

 2

Payload carrier (circular ring honeycomb material)

 3

Carbon fiber tubes (CFRP pipes)

 4

landing legs

 5

landing pad (also for Water ballast)

 6

nacelles (90 degrees swiveling)

 7

parachute

 8th

solar cells

 9

Microwave receiving antenna (2.5 GHz)

10

Microwave transmitter (2.5 GHz)

11

passenger cabin

12

window

13

Floor (honeycomb material)

14

paneling

Claims (11)

Disc-shaped airship (flying disc) for use as a communication platform at high altitudes (20 to 30 km), characterized in that the missile (FK) is very flat compared to conventional airships and consists of 2 welded together spherical caps of gas-tight material. A missile according to claim 1, characterized in that the payload carrier consists of a circular ring of very stable and lightweight honeycomb material ( 2 ) and stabilized the FK at the same time. FK according to claim 1, characterized in that the payload carrier aerodynamically disguised. FK according to claim 1, characterized in that carbon fiber stabilizing tubes ( 3 ) are attached to the payload carrier, which at the same time extendable landing legs ( 4 ). FK according to claim 1, characterized in that the FK diagonally can be made (by shortening two landing legs, in order to achieve additional traction in strong wind. FK according to claim 1, characterized in that at the landing legs wasserbefüllbare landing cushion ( 5 ) are located. FK according to claim 1, characterized in that pivotable on the payload carrier engines ( 6 ) are located. FK according to claim 1, characterized in that the top of the gas envelope with solar cells ( 8th ) is disguised. FK according to claim 1, characterized in that the underside with a microwave antenna ( 9 ), which consists of a Mylar film, are deposited on the microwave receiving dipoles with rectifier diodes. FK according to claim 1, characterized in that on the top of the gas envelope a container with a parachute ( 7 ) to land safely in case of gas loss. FK according to claim 1, characterized in that instead of the microwave antenna, a passenger cabin ( 11 ) can be attached to the payload carrier to allow a passenger transport.