1️⃣ Ground Warehouse
The payload begins its voyage in a climate‑controlled depot. Here it is integrated with a lightweight structural frame and the hand‑off attachment that each blimp will latch onto.
2️⃣ Low‑Alt Blimp – 2 km
A helium‑filled blimp lifts the payload out of the valley floor, cruising just above the boundary layer where winds are still manageable.
3️⃣ Mid‑Alt Blimp – 8 km
The first hand‑off occurs here. The low‑alt blimp gently releases the payload onto a docking cradle aboard the mid‑alt blimp, which continues the ascent into the lower stratosphere.
4️⃣ High‑Alt Blimp – 20 km
At the edge of the troposphere, another transfer takes place. The mid‑alt blimp docks with the high‑alt platform, handing over the payload for the next leg.
5️⃣ Very‑High Blimp A – 30 km
Now above most of the weather, the payload rides a specially‑reinforced envelope designed for the thin‑air environment.
6️⃣ Very‑High Blimp B – 45 km
A second “v‑high” stage pushes the payload further into the mesosphere, where temperatures drop dramatically and air density is a fraction of sea level.
7️⃣ Near‑Space Blimp – 65 km
This ultra‑light platform uses a hybrid helium‑hydrogen lift gas and solar‑powered electric fans to stay aloft in near‑vacuum conditions.
8️⃣ Edge‑of‑Atmosphere Platform – 90 km
At the Kármán line, the payload is transferred onto a small autonomous station that stabilizes it before the final boost.
9️⃣ Micro‑Propulsion Module – ≤100 km
A compact, high‑efficiency electric thruster fires for a few minutes, providing the ∆v needed to circularize the orbit at ~300 km altitude.
🔟 Orbit (200‑400 km) → Last‑Mile Delivery
Once in LEO, a small autonomous drone or rover detaches and navigates to the final destination—whether a ground station, a lunar‑transfer depot, or a scientific payload bay.