Patent ID: 8622338

Claim:
A lighter-than-air system comprising: an airship comprising a first balloon and a second balloon, the first balloon having a wall defining a first balloon chamber, the first balloon moveable between a deflated configuration and an inflated configuration, the second balloon disposed within the first balloon chamber and having a wall defining a second balloon chamber, the second balloon moveable between a deflated configuration and an inflated configuration; a thruster attached to the airship, the thruster comprising a thruster body having a first passageway and a second passageway, the first passageway having a first opening in communication with the first balloon chamber and a second opening in communication with an environment exterior to the first balloon, the second passageway having a first opening in communication with the second balloon chamber and a second opening in communication with the environment exterior to the first balloon; a first valve in communication with the first passageway, the first valve configured to have a first configuration and a second configuration, in the first configuration the first valve holds fluid within the first balloon chamber, and in the second configuration the first valve releases fluid held within the first balloon chamber; and a second valve in communication with the second passageway, the second valve configured to have a first configuration and a second configuration, in the first configuration the second valve holds fluid within the second balloon chamber, and in the second configuration the second valve releases fluid held within the second balloon chamber.