LIGHTWEIGHT ADVANCED COMPOSITE GONDOLA FOR STRATOSPHERIC BALLOONS

A LIGHTWEIGHT GONDOLA IS PROPOSED WHICH USES THE ADVANTAGES OF ADVANCED COMPOSITES AND THE IMPROVED INTERLAMINAR PROPERTIES OF AMINE PLASMA-TREATED KEVLAR/EPOXY TO PROVIDE A VERSATILE, MODULAR STRUCTURE WHICH IS EASILY ADAPTABLE TO VARIOUS PAYLOAD REQUIREMENTS. TWO DESIGN CONCEPTS WITH SEPARABLE SECTIONS ARE DESCRIBED WHICH ALLOW ADAPTABILITY OFTHE STRUCTURE AND A HIGH DEGREE OF ACCESS FOR PAYLOAD INSTALLATION AND MAINTENANCE. THE COMPOSITE JOINTS ATTACHING THE MODULAR SECTIONS, AN IMPORTANT FEATURE OF EACHDESIGN, IS DESCRIBED ALONG WITH THE ADVANTAGES EACH. THE STEPS REQUIRED TO COMPLETE PRELIMINARY DESIGN, ANALYSIS, ANDSUB-ELEMENT TESTS FOR THE GONDOLA ARE DESCRIBED FOR THE PHASE I EFFORT. PHASE II AND OTHER FUTURE WORK IS DESCRIBEDINCLUDING METHODS FOR SHOCK REDUCTION AND SHOCK ATTENUATION,DETAILED DESIGN, AND END ITEM FABRICATION.