Abstract: A device for permanently maintaining the altitude of a payload the altitude-maintenance energy source of which is practically permanent and extracted from the medium includes at least two gliding bodies connected together by at least one physical link and being, in use, at different altitudes relative to the ground and for which the instantaneous winds have, practically permanently, different characteristics, and further includes a system for controlling the respective attitudes of these two bodies.

Abstract: The method for lightening the weight of fuel stowed onboard during an interplanetary mission is characterized in that it consists: in launching (10a) a first orbiter spacecraft (1) from the Earth on a first interplanetary trajectory (31, 33) towards a target planet to be explored, in launching (10b) a second orbiter spacecraft (2) from the Earth on a second interplanetary trajectory (32, 34) towards a rendezvous spot (38), the second interplanetary trajectory not comprising any phase of placing in orbit around the target planet, in recovering a load to be transported and in loading it onto the first orbiter spacecraft (1), in returning the first orbiter spacecraft (1) and the load from the target planet to the rendezvous spot (38), in effecting a docking (14) of the two orbiter spacecraft (1, 2), in returning at least the second orbiter spacecraft (2) and the load, from the rendezvous spot (38) to a terrestrial orbit (41).

Abstract: A device for permanently maintaining the altitude of a payload the altitude-maintenance energy source of which is practically permanent and extracted from the medium includes at least two gliding bodies connected together by at least one physical link and being, in use, at different altitudes relative to the ground and for which the instantaneous winds have, practically permanently, different characteristics, and further includes a system for controlling the respective attitudes of these two bodies.

Abstract: The method for lightening the weight of fuel stowed onboard during an interplanetary mission is characterized in that it consists: in launching (10a) a first orbiter spacecraft (1) from the Earth on a first interplanetary trajectory (31, 33) towards a target planet to be explored, in launching (10b) a second orbiter spacecraft (2) from the Earth on a second interplanetary trajectory (32, 34) towards a rendezvous spot (38), the second interplanetary trajectory not comprising any phase of placing in orbit around the target planet, in recovering a load to be transported and in loading it onto the first orbiter spacecraft (1), in returning the first orbiter spacecraft (1) and the load from the target planet to the rendezvous spot (38), in effecting a docking (14) of the two orbiter spacecraft (1, 2), in returning at least the second orbiter spacecraft (2) and the load, from the rendezvous spot (38) to a terrestrial orbit (41).