US 11,750,146 B2
Tilting solar panels for high altitude balloons
John Cromie, Menlo Park, CA (US); and Kyle Brookes, Redwood City, CA (US)
Assigned to Aerostar International LLC, Sioux Falls, SD (US)
Filed by Aerostar International, LLC, Columbia, MD (US)
Filed on Sep. 18, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/24,816.
Application 17/024,816 is a continuation of application No. 15/843,197, filed on Dec. 15, 2017, granted, now 10,819,273.
Prior Publication US 2021/0006200 A1, Jan. 7, 2021
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. H02S 20/32 (2014.01); B64B 1/40 (2006.01); H02S 10/40 (2014.01); H02S 30/20 (2014.01)
CPC H02S 20/32 (2014.12) [B64B 1/40 (2013.01); H02S 10/40 (2014.12); H02S 30/20 (2014.12)] 23 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of deploying solar panels on a high-altitude platform (HAP), the HAP including an upper structure and a platform, the method comprising:
stacking an array of interconnected solar panels on the platform such that the array of interconnected solar panels and the platform are in a stacked configuration of the HAP;
wherein stacking the array of interconnected solar panels on the platform forms a stowed configuration;
connecting a first orientation control member engaged with a first pulley supported by the upper structure to a first transverse edge of at least a foremost solar panel of the array of interconnected solar panels;
connecting a second orientation control member engaged with a second pulley supported by the upper structure to a second transverse edge of the at least foremost solar panel of the array of interconnected solar panels;
connecting a first tension element engaged with a first spool element of the upper structure to the platform;
connecting a second tension element engaged with a second spool element of the upper structure to the platform;
launching the HAP; and
when the HAP reaches a predetermined altitude deploying the solar panels by, lowering, by controlling the spool elements, the platform with respect to the upper structure, causing the at least foremost solar panel and each subsequent solar panel to be lifted off the stacked array of interconnected solar panels; and
tilting, by controlling the pulleys, the solar panels at a desired angle to increase an amount of light reaching the solar panels.