Abstract: A cyclical thermal management system is provided for responding to diurnal heating and nocturnal cooling cycles to maintain a high altitude platform in a geostatic position for long periods of time. The novel cyclical thermal management system utilizes solar energy collection devices to collect solar energy which is stored and utilized to operate physical and chemical exothermic processes for heating the lifting gas of the novel high altitude platform at night and to operate physical and chemical processes during the day for transferring the heat of the lifting gas to maintain a particular geostatic position. The cyclical thermal management system utilizes a recyclable energy storage material which is utilized in not only the cyclical thermal management of heat diurnally but also to provide for seasonal and longitudinal variation by increasing or decreasing the volume of lifting gas or by increasing or decreasing the amount of the energy storage material.

Abstract: A novel energy producing flexible material is provided particularly suited for high altitude and stratospheric applications. The flexible energy producing covering includes a flexible solar cell layer, a flexible substrate which preferably matches the shape and size of the airship gore as well and an electrically conductive conduit disposed in a flexible electrically non-conductive adhesive connecting the flexible solar cell substrate to the airship substrate. Preferably two electrically conductive conduits are provided between the substrate layer and the flexible solar cell layer with the electrically conductive conduits being insulated from one another by the non-conductive adhesive. The novel process provided by the invention for joining the airship substrate to the flexible solar cell substrate includes heat, pressure and the selection of substrate materials and in certain applications the use of a vacuum.

Abstract: A novel energy producing flexible material is provided particularly suited for high altitude and stratospheric applications. The flexible energy producing covering includes a flexible solar cell layer, a flexible substrate which preferably matches the shape and size of the airship gore as well and an electrically conductive conduit disposed in a flexible electrically non-conductive adhesive connecting the flexible solar cell substrate to the airship substrate. Preferably two electrically conductive conduits are provided between the substrate layer and the flexible solar cell layer with the electrically conductive conduits being insulated from one another by the non-conductive adhesive. The novel process provided by the invention for joining the airship substrate to the flexible solar cell substrate includes heat, pressure and the selection of substrate materials and in certain applications the use of a vacuum.

Abstract: A cyclical thermal management system is provided for responding to diurnal heating and nocturnal cooling cycles to maintain a high altitude platform in a geostatic position for long periods of time. The novel cyclical thermal management system utilizes solar energy collection devices to collect solar energy which is stored and utilized to operate physical and chemical exothermic processes for heating the lifting gas of the novel high altitude platform at night and to operate physical and chemical processes during the day for transferring the heat of the lifting gas to maintain a particular geostatic position. The cyclical thermal management system utilizes a recyclable energy storage material which is utilized in not only the cyclical thermal management of heat diurnally but also to provide for seasonal and longitudinal variation by increasing or decreasing the volume of lifting gas or by increasing or decreasing the amount of the energy storage material.