Here’s the partially inflated Ascender rib test article. In addition to making it bigger we added more access panels. The access panels make it easer to keep the inner cell aligned correctly when it’s being installed. It really does form a nice ellipse when fully inflated. Ascender 100 will use nine of these. Eight this size and one larger bow rib.
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Instead of starting from scratch we decided to modify the Ascender rib from last week. We found the error and have made eight extensions to bring it to the correct size. A lot of Saturday was spent pulling seams, an eighteen foot ellipse all double seams at the perimeter and triple seamed at the joints has a LOT of seams. With that accomplished we’re started sewing back together again. Sometimes….
The control servo was mounted on the reel down system and the next round of testing should start this week.
On the rocket balloon launch box the bridal mount was installed. This is the structural backbone that gets attached to the balloon.
Tucked, unmarked, in a back corner of Smithsonian Udvar-Hazy Center hangs one of the most amazing planetary probes ever flown. I came across it on while doing the book signing there for “Floating to Space”
It is the Vega balloon that flew in the atmosphere of Venus, well it’s the backup vehicle. The real one that flew in 1985 is still on Venus. This single mission put a lander on the surface of Venus, sent a balloon flying in the atmosphere and sent the “mothership” to intercept Halley’s Comet. All three elements of the mission were a success. Incredible.
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