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    Or the gondola could fall down the same rope it went up.<br>
    <br>
    <br>
    <div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 10/04/2012 09:53 AM, Lee von Kraus
      wrote:<br>
    </div>
    <blockquote
cite="mid:CANtjha26L6CcsPa_6OpBkpjwuPb0v6SechGLQKLopqM+w9uviw@mail.gmail.com"
      type="cite">the website says the helikites can go up "thousands"
      of feet, not sure how many thousands though, but I guess at least
      more than 2000 if their using the word correctly. <br>
      <br>
      You're right about all that cable weight weighing things down too
      much. So it might be best to have a space-elevator-like gondola
      (as suggested previously by Matt) thing that can climb up the
      single rope that's anchoring the helikite to the ground. The
      gondola can be powered by a laser from the ground (although I'm
      not sure how far a reasonably sized laser can shoot power). That
      gondola would drive the capsule up to the helikite and then
      'throw' the capsule off and let it fall to the ground where we
      could have some sort of cushion to catch it. The capsules could
      have fins on them to better ensure that they fall straight down <br>
      <br>
      As the fallen capsule is being retrieved the gondola would already
      be on its way back down to get the same, or another capsule. The
      system wouldn't be too speedy but would still be a useful tool,
      I'd imagine the demand for usage would be pretty high from schools
      and amateur scientists that can't afford other micro-G options.<br>
      <br>
      <br>
      <br>
      <br>
      <div class="gmail_quote">On Thu, Oct 4, 2012 at 7:29 AM, Jerry
        Isdale <span dir="ltr"><<a moz-do-not-send="true"
            href="mailto:jerry@mauimakers.com" target="_blank">jerry@mauimakers.com</a>></span>
        wrote:<br>
        <blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0
          .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
          <div style="word-wrap:break-word">Depending on how high you go
            and the kg/m mass of the cable, it is possible that the
            weight of the 2x length of cable could be more than the
            weight of the winch.
            <div>using this kevlar rope as a guide...</div>
            <div><a moz-do-not-send="true"
                href="http://www.pelicanrope.com/kevlar12strandrope.html"
                target="_blank">http://www.pelicanrope.com/kevlar12strandrope.html</a></div>
            <div>say we pick the 7/16", 15,000lb tensile strength rope
              at 5lbs/100ft. ('cause thats an easy weight)</div>
            <div>a 1,000ft length will weigh... 50lbs?</div>
            <div><br>
            </div>
            <div>1000 ft will not give much free fall time. Parabolic
              flights are on the order of 8000ft deltas ...400lbs</div>
            <div>Although rolling all that cable up into the helikite
              would require a lot of space/big spool.</div>
            <div>
              <div class="im"><br>
                <div>
                  <div style="word-wrap:break-word"><span
style="text-indent:0px;letter-spacing:normal;font-variant:normal;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;line-height:normal;border-collapse:separate;text-transform:none;font-size:medium;white-space:normal;font-family:Helvetica;word-spacing:0px">
                      <div style="word-wrap:break-word">
                        Jerry Isdale<br>
                        <a moz-do-not-send="true"
                          href="http://MauiMakers.com" target="_blank">http://MauiMakers.com</a></div>
                      <div style="word-wrap:break-word"><a
                          moz-do-not-send="true"
                          href="http://www.mauimakers.com/blog/thursday-public-meeting/"
                          target="_blank">http://www.mauimakers.com/blog/thursday-public-meeting/</a></div>
                    </span></div>
                </div>
                <br>
              </div>
              <div class="im">
                <div>
                  <div>On Oct 3, 2012, at 5:04 AM, Lee von Kraus wrote:</div>
                  <br>
                  <blockquote type="cite">The best way to maximize the
                    allowable experimental capsule weight would be to<u>
                      have all the motor mechanisms on the ground </u>as
                    shown in the attached figure. That way the only
                    mechanism, other than the capsule, that needs to be
                    carried by the helikite is a pulley (and the weight
                    of the capsule line). <br>
                    <br>
                    <br>
                    <br>
                    <div class="gmail_quote">On Wed, Oct 3, 2012 at
                      10:42 AM, Lee von Kraus <span dir="ltr"><<a
                          moz-do-not-send="true"
                          href="mailto:leevonk@gmail.com"
                          target="_blank">leevonk@gmail.com</a>></span>
                      wrote:<br>
                      <blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0
                        0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc
                        solid;padding-left:1ex">
                        Here are some useful excerpts:<br>
                        "<br>
                        The 10 cubic metre Skyhook Helikite is able to
                        fly to thousands of feet in winds up to 50 mph
                        lifting a payload of 5kg.<br>
                        <br>
                        Helikites are designed for foul weather
                        deployment and foul weather flight. Even the
                        largest Skyhook Helikites can be launched and
                        retrieved in all the winds that they can fly in.
                        So deployment and flight can occur safely in
                        winds up to 50 or 60 mph.<br>
                        <br>
                        The new Cased Helikite Aerostat Maintainable
                        Platform (CHAMP) (see products section) allows
                        the deployment of a 10 cubic metre Skyhook
                        Helikite within 30 minutes. The unique part of
                        the CHAMP is that it also includes an excellent
                        Helibase with top cover thus also creating a
                        permanent, safe base for the Helikite - not just
                        a minimal launch platform.<br>
                        <br>
                        Helikites can even be launched and recovered
                        remotely - with no people present at all. They
                        are simply winched off or onto the Helibase. <br>
                        <div>
                          <div>"<br>
                            <br>
                            <br>
                            <div class="gmail_quote">On Wed, Oct 3, 2012
                              at 10:37 AM, Lee von Kraus <span
                                dir="ltr"><<a moz-do-not-send="true"
                                  href="mailto:leevonk@gmail.com"
                                  target="_blank">leevonk@gmail.com</a>></span>
                              wrote:<br>
                              <blockquote class="gmail_quote"
style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0.8ex;border-left-width:1px;border-left-color:rgb(204,204,204);border-left-style:solid;padding-left:1ex">here
                                is a link better describing the
                                advantages of helikites:<br>
                                <br>
                                <a moz-do-not-send="true"
                                  href="http://www.allsopp.co.uk/index.php?mod=page&id_pag=24"
                                  target="_blank">http://www.allsopp.co.uk/index.php?mod=page&id_pag=24</a>
                                <div>
                                  <div><br>
                                    <br>
                                    <br>
                                  </div>
                                </div>
                              </blockquote>
                            </div>
                          </div>
                        </div>
                      </blockquote>
                    </div>
                  </blockquote>
                </div>
                <br>
              </div>
            </div>
          </div>
          <br>
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          <br>
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