Perlan 2 Project Updates

Construction progress files and some great past photos of Steve
Fosset.


michael
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http://forums.x-plane.org/index.php?...&showfile=7169

On Feb 15, 10:30*am, wrote:
Construction progress files and some great past photos of Steve
Fosset.

michael
---------------------------------------------------------

http://forums.x-plane.org/index.php?...&showfile=7169

Maybe, it isn't necessary to build a pressurized glider. MIT's Prof.
Dava Newman has a space suit that should work in an unpressurized
glider cockpit. Just add low Reynolds Number wings

See: http://mvl.mit.edu/EVA/biosuit/index.html

I've had the pleasure of speaking with Einar Enevoldson (the man
behind the Perlan Project), and watching his presentations on the
subject.

They used pressure suits during Phase 1 (when they went to 50,000+
feet in a highly modified DG-505).

It turns out that the suits caused all kinds of problems - not the
least of which was controllability; since the pressure suits inflate
with altitude, and that crowds the stick between one's legs (they had
some near-mishaps when pressure suits would malfunction and suddenly
inflate fully - locking the control stick in one position). Plus, the
power and pressurized gasses required for the suits added a bunch of
weight and bulk to the aircraft - and gliders aren't known for their
baggage areas!

In the end, it was determined that a pressurized double-hull (a la
SpaceShipOne) was the way to go. And Einar has flown all kinds of
experimental aircraft over a long career that spans the globe - he's
done the research and has the experience! If you ever get a chance to
see him speak, you should - he's a very engaging person and has plenty
of great stories.
(side note: Speaking of SpaceShipOne, Einar flew a highly modified
Schweizer that could descend in a similar manner to the "feathering"
that SSO does... coincidence?)

Take care,

--Noel

On Feb 15, 2:33*pm, "noel.wade" wrote:
I've had the pleasure of speaking with Einar Enevoldson (the man
behind the Perlan Project), and watching his presentations on the
subject.

They used pressure suits during Phase 1 (when they went to 50,000+
feet in a highly modified DG-505).

It turns out that the suits caused all kinds of problems - not the
least of which was controllability; since the pressure suits inflate
with altitude, and that crowds the stick between one's legs (they had
some near-mishaps when pressure suits would malfunction and suddenly
inflate fully - locking the control stick in one position). *Plus, the
power and pressurized gasses required for the suits added a bunch of
weight and bulk to the aircraft - and gliders aren't known for their
baggage areas!

In the end, it was determined that a pressurized double-hull (a la
SpaceShipOne) was the way to go. *And Einar has flown all kinds of
experimental aircraft over a long career that spans the globe - he's
done the research and has the experience! *If you ever get a chance to
see him speak, you should - he's a very engaging person and has plenty
of great stories.
(side note: Speaking of SpaceShipOne, Einar flew a highly modified
Schweizer that could descend in a similar manner to the "feathering"
that SSO does... coincidence?)

Take care,

--Noel

I've also heard Einar Enevoldson talk about Perlan.

That's exactly why Dr. Newman developed the Bio-Suit. It doesn't
inflate - or stiffen so it shouldn't interfere with the controls like
the suits Steve and Einar used. Please read the MIT article.

On Feb 15, 1:44*pm, bildan wrote:

That's exactly why Dr. Newman developed the *Bio-Suit...

Looks to me much more like "is developing" rather than "developed.".
According to that Web page, all they have so far is ideas, mockups,
and a few partial prototypes. It does not look like the sort of thing
I would rely on as a primary life support system for a 12-hour profile
anytime in the near future.

Thanks, Bob K.

On Feb 15, 4:57*pm, Bob Kuykendall wrote:
On Feb 15, 1:44*pm, bildan wrote:

That's exactly why Dr. Newman developed the *Bio-Suit...

Looks to me much more like "is developing" rather than "developed.".
According to that Web page, all they have so far is ideas, mockups,
and a few partial prototypes. It does not look like the sort of thing
I would rely on as a primary life support system for a 12-hour profile
anytime in the near future.

Thanks, Bob K.

The literature from 4 years ago says Dr. Newman has personally tested
her suit at 95% of space vacuum.