{"id":{"repo_id":"vt","oai_identifier":"oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/34186"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/vt/oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/34186","repository":{"repo_id":"vt","name":"Virginia Tech","base_url":"https://vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"A Self-Sustaining, Boundary-Layer-Adapted System for Terrain Exploration and Environmental Sampling","abstract":"This thesis describes the preliminary design of a system for remote terrain exploration and environmental sampling on worlds with dense atmospheres. The motivation for the system is to provide a platform for long-term scientific studies of these celestial bodies. The proposed system consists of three main components: a buoyancy-driven glider, designed to operate at low altitude; a tethered energy harvester, extracting wind energy at high altitudes; and a base station to recharge the gliders. This system is self-sustaining, extracting energy from the planetary boundary layer. A nine degree of freedom vehicle dynamic model has been developed for the buoyancydriven glider. This model was used to illustrate anecdotal evidence of the stability and controllability of the system. A representative system was simulated to examine the energy harvesting concept.","abstract_html":"This thesis describes the preliminary design of a system for remote terrain exploration and environmental sampling on worlds with dense atmospheres. The motivation for the system is to provide a platform for long-term scientific studies of these celestial bodies. The proposed system consists of three main components: a buoyancy-driven glider, designed to operate at low altitude; a tethered energy harvester, extracting wind energy at high altitudes; and a base station to recharge the gliders. This system is self-sustaining, extracting energy from the planetary boundary layer. A nine degree of freedom vehicle dynamic model has been developed for the buoyancydriven glider. This model was used to illustrate anecdotal evidence of the stability and controllability of the system. A representative system was simulated to examine the energy harvesting concept.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Morrow, Michael Thomas"],"institution":"Virginia Tech","degree_name":"Master of Science","degree_level":"masters","degree_discipline":"Aerospace and Ocean Engineering","degree_department":"Aerospace and Ocean Engineering","school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":["Woolsey, Craig A."],"committee_members":["Schaub, Hanspeter","Mason, William H."],"year":2005,"date_issued":"2005-06-10","date_published":"2005-06-10","updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:19:04Z","subjects":["boundary layer","internal actuation","inboard wing","Titan","terrain exploration","buoyancy-driven gliding"],"languages":[],"rights":["In Copyright"],"rights_urls":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"],"identifier_entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.other","label":"Dc Identifier Other","values":["etd-07262005-085830"],"render_values":[{"text":"etd-07262005-085830","href":null,"code":true}]}]},"links":{"outbound_url":"http://hdl.handle.net/10919/34186","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.committeechair","label":"Committee Chair","values":["Woolsey, Craig A."]},{"key":"dc:contributor.committeemember","label":"Committee Member","values":["Schaub, Hanspeter","Mason, William H."]},{"key":"dc:contributor.department","label":"Department","values":["Aerospace and Ocean Engineering"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Morrow, Michael Thomas"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2014-03-14T20:42:01Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2014-03-14T20:42:01Z","2005-08-18"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2005-06-10"]},{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["Virginia Tech"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Aerospace and Ocean Engineering"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["masters"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science"]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["boundary layer","internal actuation","inboard wing","Titan","terrain exploration","buoyancy-driven gliding"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["In Copyright"]},{"key":"dc:rights.uri","label":"Rights URI","values":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.other","label":"Dc Identifier Other","values":["etd-07262005-085830"]},{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["http://hdl.handle.net/10919/34186"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["This thesis describes the preliminary design of a system for remote terrain exploration and environmental sampling on worlds with dense atmospheres. The motivation for the system is to provide a platform for long-term scientific studies of these celestial bodies. The proposed system consists of three main components: a buoyancy-driven glider, designed to operate at low altitude; a tethered energy harvester, extracting wind energy at high altitudes; and a base station to recharge the gliders. This system is self-sustaining, extracting energy from the planetary boundary layer. A nine degree of freedom vehicle dynamic model has been developed for the buoyancydriven glider. This model was used to illustrate anecdotal evidence of the stability and controllability of the system. A representative system was simulated to examine the energy harvesting concept."]},{"key":"dc:description.degree","label":"Dc Description Degree","values":["Master of Science"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["A Self-Sustaining, Boundary-Layer-Adapted System for Terrain Exploration and Environmental Sampling"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.committeechair":["Woolsey, Craig A."],"dc:contributor.committeemember":["Schaub, Hanspeter","Mason, William H."],"dc:contributor.department":["Aerospace and Ocean Engineering"],"dc:creator":["Morrow, Michael Thomas"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2014-03-14T20:42:01Z"],"dc:date.available":["2014-03-14T20:42:01Z","2005-08-18"],"dc:date.issued":["2005-06-10"],"dc:description.abstract":["This thesis describes the preliminary design of a system for remote terrain exploration and environmental sampling on worlds with dense atmospheres. The motivation for the system is to provide a platform for long-term scientific studies of these celestial bodies. The proposed system consists of three main components: a buoyancy-driven glider, designed to operate at low altitude; a tethered energy harvester, extracting wind energy at high altitudes; and a base station to recharge the gliders. This system is self-sustaining, extracting energy from the planetary boundary layer. A nine degree of freedom vehicle dynamic model has been developed for the buoyancydriven glider. This model was used to illustrate anecdotal evidence of the stability and controllability of the system. A representative system was simulated to examine the energy harvesting concept."],"dc:description.degree":["Master of Science"],"dc:identifier.other":["etd-07262005-085830"],"dc:identifier.uri":["http://hdl.handle.net/10919/34186"],"dc:publisher":["Virginia Tech"],"dc:rights":["In Copyright"],"dc:rights.uri":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"],"dc:subject":["boundary layer","internal actuation","inboard wing","Titan","terrain exploration","buoyancy-driven gliding"],"dc:title":["A Self-Sustaining, Boundary-Layer-Adapted System for Terrain Exploration and Environmental Sampling"],"dc:type":["Thesis"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Aerospace and Ocean Engineering"],"thesis:degree_level":["masters"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science"],"thesis:institution_name":["Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:19:04Z"}