Aurora Flight Sciences Corporation

Tomas Vaneck

Robert William Parks

Adam Woodworth

Justin McClellan

Peter Lively

Kimberly Kohlhepp

A foldable wing for use with a very high altitude aircraft capable of operating at an altitude at or above 85,000 feet is disclosed. The foldable wing may employ a spiral fold deployment, wherein a hinge between each segment of the foldable wing is slightly offset from the perpendicular. Successively positioned wing segments fold over one another. Alternatively, the hinges are substantially perpendicular so that each respective wing segment folds linearly against the next wing segment. An inflatable rib, with inflatable arms, can be inflated to provide a force against two adjacent arms, thereby deploying the wing segments through a full 180&#xb0; of rotation.

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Gloucester, MA, United States of America

Tomas Vaneck