Additional "Spin-off" Technology and Applications

- Long endurance lighter than air platform research.

- Test bed for inflatable structure research and development.

- Test bed for high altitude instruments, power plants, propulsion.

- Platform and telescope mounting can be used to facilitate other temporary or permanent scientific and commercial payloads.

- Inflatable structure concepts applicable to ground, air, and space based structures. Small to very large (>100 meter) precision inflatable antennas with lifting gas assisted adaptive surfaces can be deployed at various altitudes in the atmosphere or under inflatable covers at terrestrial sites. The antenna weight is supported mostly by lifting gas. Under some conditions, liquid (such as water) can be used to assist in positioning the antenna. In the case of terrestrial sites, liquid can also be used for partial support, particularly if the antenna is surrounded by a nearly spherical outer envelope.

- Steerable antenna feed concepts can be applied to rigid fixed dish antennas of either wide or limited scan range.