Lightning and EM Hazards Protection Designs for Photovoltaic Arrays on HAA Platforms

The purpose of this SBIR is to enable use of lightweight photovoltaic (PV) arrays and associated power conditioning and distribution systems on high altitude airships (HAAs) intended for station keeping over long time periods in the stratosphere, and so mitigate risks to the HAA during launch and recovery as well as while on station. This requires development and protection design and validation concepts against the presently known aspects of the atmospheric electrical environments for PV arrays, the hull, and associated HAA systems while in climb/descend as well as station-keeping modes. This SBIR will also Identify tools for forecasting and nowcasting of weather conditions known to be conducive to lightning and electric charge formation at altitudes from ground to the cloud tops (i.e. 0-45,000 ft.) that may be applicable to HAAs seeking to avoid encounters with severe cloud-to-earth lightning strikes and other atmospheric electrical environments during climb and descend phases. A combination of simulated lightning and static electricity testing of HAA materials and subassemblies and numerical simulation will be employed in Phase II.