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High Altitude Airships & Balloons
ILC Dover has been involved in the design and development of high altitude airships since the early 1980's. The advent and growth of the cellular phone market has renewed interest in the use of high altitude airships as a means of providing an economical alternative to satellites.
ILC Dover was also involved in the NASA Ultra-Long Duration Balloon, (ULDB), Program. The goal of this program is to fly a large, pressurized balloon at altitudes approaching 100,000 ft. for a period of 100 days.
High Altitude Airships
1980's
    HAPP (High Altitude Powered Platform)
    Customer: NASA
    Program: ILC conducted a Phase I systems design effort.
    • Envelope Sizing
    • Load Analysis
    • Materials Definition
    HI-SPOT (High Altitude Surveillance Platform for Over-the-Horizon Targeting)
    Customer: Lockheed/US Navy
    Program: ILC conducted a Phase I envelope and system sizing program
1990's
    SKYSTATION/Aerospatiale
    Supported a six month Phase I feasibility effort with Aerospatiale to define the system for a stationary high altitude communications platform.
    Areas of Emphasis:
    • Materials Development
      • Ballonet
      • Envelope
      • Solar cell interface
      • Environmental considerations
    • Production Techniques
    • Assembly Procedures

2000 - present

    LOCKHEED MARTIN/US GOVERNMENT
    Currently supporting a Phase I US Government funded program to define the system for a mobile platform capable of carrying various payloads.
    Areas of Emphasis:

    • Concept and Requirements Definition
    • Materials Development/Definition

NORTHROP GRUMMAN/DARPA
Supported Phase 1 effort involving developement of a radar sensor highly integrated with the platform.

Ultra-Long Duration Balloon (ULDB)
ULDB 3 Meter Burst Test
Phase I Balloon Hull Material
ILC Developed High Strength Film/Fabric Laminate

Test Results
Attained 105% of “Theoretical” Burst Pressure
ILC ULDB Project Engineer Tim Miller Monitoring Inflation Test Effects on Seams
Ultra-Long Duration Balloon Flight Test at Wallops Island
ILC’s Superpressure Balloon Floated to ~76 K Feet with Excess Helium Fill

Highest Altitude Achieved in Phase I
NASA & ILC Program Engineers at Wallops
ILC ULDB Project Engineer Tim Miller Monitoring Inflation Test Effects on Seams
Extra-Terrestrial Balloons
NASA & ILC Program Engineers at Wallops