XAP Timeline

1935    The first plastic balloon.  
1937    The first multi-balloon flight.
1946    Modern plastic balloon industry.
1957    The first plastic multi-balloon flight.
2001    Discovery of bulbous gore tetroon phenomenon.

The Next Steps   

A    In flight conversion experiments: 
        Launch with hot air balloon with gas cell augmentation, deflate gas cell in mid air progressively while maintaining altitude profile and land under hot air control after all gas cells have been deflated.
        Launch with empty hot air balloon with gas cells, inflate hot air envelope in mid air and proceed as above.

B    Bulbous gore tetroon inflation & launch validation.

        Fabricate 10 inch circumference tube of 1/4 mil Mylar and inflate with helium to demonstrate buoyancy.

!0" Circumference Test Tubing Floating with zero weight.

        Fabricate 10,000 cubic foot 1/2 mil Mylar single thread tetroon for in hangar helium inflation.  Inflate, tube only, under shroud and cycle repeated lurch launch tests indoors.
        Flush the erected balloon tubing, and inflate full cell, with nitrogen.

C    Unmanned middle altitude (100 to 10 milibar pressure altitudes) flight tests.

D    Unmanned high altitude (10 to 1 milibar pressure altitudes) flight tests.