Abstract: A pinned vane type, positive displacement, rotary device includes a tangentially translatable roller arrangement for sealing each of a plurality of rotatable blades that are pivotally attached to an inner hub and extend through blade spreader elements of an outer hub assembly to contact the interior surface of the device. Each of roller elements on either side of a respective blade is allowed to rotate about its own axis, while the unloaded one of the roller elements is allowed to translate tangentially relative to a circular path described by the outer hub assembly. The sealing arrangement accommodates pivoting of the blade about an axis that passes through the blade in the radial direction from the inner hub to the interior surface of the housing, so that the contact surface between each roller element and its associated blade has no gaps across the surface of the blade between outer hub assemblies.

Abstract: A high altitude launch platform, used to launch a payload into earth orbit, is part of a payload launch system having a payload launching rocket carried by the high altitude launch platform. A first amount of fuel, substantially less than the capacity of the fuel tanks, is provided to the launch platform while the launch platform is on the ground. The launch platform is flown to a first altitude and the fuel tanks are provided with a second amount of fuel while the high altitude launch platform is at the first altitude. The addition of the second amount of fuel is sufficient to allow the payload to be launched into orbit.