Replies to post #10231 on World Surveillance Group Inc (fka WSGI)

[Slyhunter]

A horizontal sail could be used as a solar collector and a parachute simultaneously assisting the helium. would need stiff telescoping supports to work. Could be an outskin or blanket prior to sending it up.

A gyroscope, altimiter, and balancing devices would control the length of the various arms. Back ones could go down giving slight resistence to a forward source wind for example. However, it might be an overcomplication that isn't needed.

[jacques0]

I'm a little baffled by all this talk of a sail. The strat, according to what I've seen so far, is going to have rear vertical and horizontal stabilizers. These are, essentially, sails.

Think of a weathervane. The stabilizers would, I assume, keep the strat oriented nose-into-the-wind so that the props would only be needed to maintain position over a point on the ground.

Close your eyes and picture a big rooster on top of a barn.