AEROSPACE AND R&D

KiteShip is working on programs to explore the surface of Mars, the atmospheres of gas giants and Earth's own stratosphere. We are developing technologies to assist heavy construction in undeveloped countries and to use light pressure to explore the stars. We are assisting the US Army to accurately and inexpensively airdrop humanitarian aid and heavy equipment into pinpoint landings.

KiteShip solutions are finding one home today in airdrop and parachute design and technology. Cost effective airdrop of multi-ton loads using inexpensive, even one-time-use technology solutions capable of high aerodynamic efficiency has a high priority. KiteShip is currently working on multiple DoD and other US Government contracts to move this crossover technology forward.

KiteShip is developing applications of its heavy lift technology for more grounded uses as well. We are currently an ambitious contract to use only ancient materials and technology to transport and erect multi-ton stones into replicas of ancient monuments. We are working on proposals to use very large free-flying sails to move two hundred ton logs in remote forestry operations in Alaskan, Canadian and Russian wildernesses where road building and heavy equipment are impractical or unwanted, and the world's largest helicopters are just too small.

The coming exploration of Mars and other planets and moons demands ever larger energy sources in order to extend exploration radii in a timely fashion. Just as Earth's peoples first did, scientists are turning to wind-powered solutions to the challenges of speedy autonomous travel. One obvious problem relates to control of a sailing craft 50 to 200 million miles away. Autonomous control of a tippy land sailor is a daunting engineering challenge and "tumbleweed" type explorers offer extremely limited performance. Again, scientists are looking to tethered flight technology for help. The ability to create a craft which does not heel simplifies the design challenge; a Mars rover which can sail right-side up or upside down can cover the gamut of potential situations, making high speed sailing the preferred mode for extraterrestrial ground exploration.

Sailing doesn't require wind over water or even wind over land. KiteShip can exploit the differential between an underwater current and still water nearby or that between the Earth's jet stream and still air above, below or alongside to sail using a pair of tethered wings, one in each fluid. Twin-kite technology unleashes such vehicles from ground level limitations. We can sail on the Earth's jet stream at hundreds of mile per hour under complete control over millions of miles of surface to maintain station in the Earth's stratosphere for surveillance and communication applications, and the outer Solar System gas giant planetary atmospheres.