Biological Analogs and Emergent Intelligence for Control of Stratospheric Balloon Constellations

Global Aerospace Corporation is developing a revolutionary concept for a global constellation and network of hundreds of stratospheric superpressure balloons. Global Aerospace Corporation and Princeton University are studying methods of controlling the geometry of these stratospheric balloon constellations using concepts related to and inspiration derived from biological group behavior such as schooling, flocking, and herding. The method of artificial potentials determines control settings for trajectory control systems in the steady flow regions. Weak Stability Boundary theory is used to (a) determine the interfaces between smooth flow and areas where chaotic conditions exist and (b) calculate control settings in regions of chaotic flow.

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