The tethered aerostat is a part of the aerostatic complex. Besides the aerostat, the complex contains cable-tether, payload, and ground maintenance complexThe tethered aerostat is a payload carrier. The cable-tether is intended to hold the aerostat during its ascend, descend and flight at a working altitude, supplying the aerostat onboard systems and the payload with electric power, and, in case of PUMA, provide diversion of lightning and static electricity. The ground complex for the tethered aerostat maintenance is designed to provide normal operation of the aerostat at a working altitude, ascend and descend its maintenance on the ground and at all stages of work as well as the payload maintenance. The ground maintenance complex includes the mooring platform, equipped with an aerostat winch and auxiliary winches, providing the aerostat operations, means of gas and air supply, preventive maintenance, power supply, control, radio communication and other systems and service equipment including mooring platform.
The tethered aerostat (TA) consists of the envelope with the ballonet, the payload houser with rigging and air section in the aft; bow reinforcement; empennage; roping and rigging; combined (gas and air) relief valves; pressure valve; air supply hoses; system of air refilling (including system units of overpressure maintenance in the ballonet, empennage and payload houser, control valves and check valves in the system of overpressure maintenance); flying-navigational equipment units, control and emergency power supply units; lightning-discharge protector.
The payload is located on a truss, suspended under the envelope in a protective soft pressurized houser of the aerodynamic shape.
Overpressure in all air and gas volumes of the envelope, ballonet, houser and empennage in all operating modes of the TA (during hauling, staying at a working altitude and on the mooring aerostatic platform) is automatically maintained by means of valves and onboard fans. During ground mooring at the mooring platform a ground fan may be connected. Gas filling and refilling is executed through filling valves.
The empennage of the aerostat consists of three similar fins: the upper vertical fin and two lower fins, each at an angle of 56° with a vertical axis of the aerostat. The fins are under constant overpressure, which provides their ability to take up loads within the limits of allowed deformations. The fins are connected by bracing wires. In the aft of the envelope there is an air section connected with the fins by hoses. The section is intended to equalize pressure in the fins.
According to target specifications and process requirements, we have developed unique material UR-2310 based on high-molecular threads RUSAR, polyurethane films and adhesives.