You guys rock!
Thanks for taking my idea and running with it.
To answer some questions: the "town" within the FBS must be a rigid structure, and so it follows that the whole structure should be rigid.
You don't want to depend on the material strength of a single ginormous balloon. The geodesic structure is the strongest mass/volume structure possible. If the elements are carbon composites, then mass goes down even more.
Given a rigid geodesic structure, you have much more leeway and flexibility on the material used to construct the "skin". Multi-layer super-thin films with low thermal conductivity, high transparency to visible light, and high reflectance of infrared, with super low mass now become feasible.
A rigid geodesic structure enable maintenance and repair that would be impossible in a balloon.
Mounting "black" PV solar cell arrays INSIDE the skin would increase the amount of heat released inside the skin.
Light intensity, especially soft UV, increases dramatically above 20,000 feet, so we should design for the highest feasible altitude. This means that residences and shops will have to be within pressurized facilities. This adds weight.
Even with the jet streams, we have a problem. How to stay IN the jet stream, or how to get back in after we leave and descend to an altitude reachable by helicopters. As much as I dislike it, some form of propulsion is necessary. Maybe a few hundred electric prop-fans mounted on the outside. Given the cross-sectional area of the FBS, you're not going to get more than 10 or 20 MPH out of it all.
Maybe that's enough.
Emergency power and heat--a valid criticism. Perhaps a small nuclear reactor (say 10 megawatts) to provide power to the prop-fans. This of course releases 10 megawatts of heat inside the FBS, which may (when added to the
insolation) may provide more than enough heat to float the FBS. Which means constant dumping of heat for level flight. Which means a reserve for rapid climbing when necessary.
Just PLEEEEEZ don't suggest the FBS be propelled by burning fuel.
