Nodes for multiple aerial vehicles connected to a single ground station

1. An airborne wind turbine system, comprising:

a ground station;

a plurality of aerial vehicles;

a plurality of tethers, wherein each tether of the plurality of tethers comprises an electrical conductor, wherein a distal end of each tether of the plurality of tethers is coupled to a respective aerial vehicle of the plurality of aerial vehicles, and wherein a proximate end of each tether of the plurality of tethers is coupled to the ground station;

a node coupled to the plurality of tethers, wherein the plurality of tethers pass through the node, wherein, at a proximate end of the node, each tether of the plurality of tethers is adjacent to neighboring tethers of the plurality of tethers, wherein, at a distal end of the node, each tether of the plurality of tethers is separated from the neighboring tethers of the plurality of tethers, wherein the node comprises a drive system, wherein the drive system comprises a plurality of belts coupled to the node, wherein each belt of the plurality of belts rotates about a drive wheel, and wherein the plurality of belts are arranged about the plurality of tethers; and

a control system configured to operate the drive system to translate the node along the plurality of tethers, wherein the control system is further configured to translate the plurality of belts along the plurality of tethers.

2. The airborne wind turbine system of claim 1 , wherein each tether of the plurality of tethers has a length between the distal end of the node and respective aerial vehicle, and wherein the length of each tether of the plurality of tethers are substantially the same.

3. The airborne wind turbine system of claim 1 , wherein each tether of the plurality of tethers has a length between the distal end of the node and respective aerial vehicle, and wherein the length of each tether of the plurality of tethers is different than the lengths of the other tethers of the plurality of tethers.

4. The airborne wind turbine system of claim 1 further comprising:

a junction between the ground station and the node, wherein the proximate end of each tether of the plurality of tethers is coupled to the junction; and

an auxiliary tether, wherein the auxiliary tether comprises a second electrical conductor, wherein a distal end of the auxiliary tether is coupled to the junction, and wherein a proximate end of the auxiliary tether is coupled to the ground station.

5. The airborne wind turbine system of claim 1 , wherein the node comprises a proximate opening at the proximate end of the node and a distal opening at the distal end of the node, and wherein a diameter of the distal opening is greater than a diameter of the proximate opening.

6. The airborne wind turbine system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of aerial vehicles comprises three aerial vehicles, and wherein the plurality of tethers comprises three tethers.

7. An airborne wind turbine system, comprising:

a ground station;

three aerial vehicles;

an auxiliary tether, wherein the auxiliary tether comprises an electrical conductor, and wherein a proximate end of the auxiliary tether is coupled to the ground station;

a junction, wherein a distal end of the auxiliary tether is coupled to the junction;

three tethers, wherein each tether of the three tethers comprises a second electrical conductor, wherein a proximate end of each tether of the three tethers is coupled to the junction, and wherein a distal end of each tether of the three tethers is coupled to a respective aerial vehicle of the three aerial vehicles;

a node coupled to the three tethers, wherein the three tethers pass through the node, wherein, at a proximate end of the node, each tether of the three tethers is adjacent to neighboring tethers of the three tethers, wherein, at a distal end of the node, each tether of the three tethers is separated from the neighboring tethers of the three tethers, wherein the node comprises a drive system, wherein the drive system comprises a plurality of belts coupled to the node, wherein each belt of the plurality of belts rotates about a drive wheel, and wherein the plurality of belts are arranged about the three tethers; and

a control system configured to operate the drive system to translate the node along the three tethers, and wherein the control system is further configured to translate the plurality of belts along the three tethers.

8. The airborne wind turbine system of claim 7 , wherein each tether of the three tethers has a length between the distal end of the node and respective aerial vehicle, and wherein the length of each tether of the three tethers are substantially the same.

9. The airborne wind turbine system of claim 7 , wherein each tether of the three tethers has a length between the distal end of the node and respective aerial vehicle, and wherein the length of each tether of the three tethers is different than the lengths of the other tethers of the three tethers.

10. The airborne wind turbine system of claim 7 , wherein the node comprises a proximate opening at the proximate end of the node and a distal opening at the distal end of the node, and wherein a diameter of the distal opening is greater than a diameter of the proximate opening.

11. An airborne wind turbine system, comprising:

a ground station;

a plurality of aerial vehicles;

a plurality of tethers, wherein each tether of the plurality of tethers comprises an electrical conductor, wherein a distal end of each tether of the plurality of tethers is coupled to a respective aerial vehicle of the plurality of aerial vehicles, and wherein a proximate end of each tether of the plurality of tethers is coupled to the ground station;

a node coupled to the plurality of tethers, wherein the plurality of tethers pass through the node, wherein, at a proximate end of the node, each tether of the plurality of tethers is adjacent to neighboring tethers of the plurality of tethers, wherein, at a distal end of the node, each tether of the plurality of tethers is separated from the neighboring tethers of the plurality of tethers, wherein the node comprises a drive system, wherein the drive system comprises a plurality of convex surfaces coupled to the node, wherein each convex surface of the plurality of convex surfaces comprises a square wheel, wherein each tether of the plurality of tethers comprises a plurality of surface features, wherein each surface feature of the plurality of surface features comprises a chain-link segment, and wherein, for each tether, the square wheel is configured to mesh with the chain link segment; and

a control system configured to operate the drive system to translate the node along the plurality of tethers, wherein the control system is further configured to translate the plurality of convex surfaces along the plurality of tethers.

12. The airborne wind turbine system of claim 11 , wherein each tether of the plurality of tethers has a length between the distal end of the node and respective aerial vehicle, and wherein the length of each tether of the plurality of tethers are substantially the same.

13. The airborne wind turbine system of claim 11 , wherein each tether of the plurality of tethers has a length between the distal end of the node and respective aerial vehicle, and wherein the length of each tether of the plurality of tethers is different than the lengths of the other tethers of the plurality of tethers.

14. The airborne wind turbine system of claim 11 further comprising:

a junction between the ground station and the node, wherein the proximate end of each tether of the plurality of tethers is coupled to the junction; and

an auxiliary tether, wherein the auxiliary tether comprises a second electrical conductor, wherein a distal end of the auxiliary tether is coupled to the junction, and wherein a proximate end of the auxiliary tether is coupled to the ground station.

15. The airborne wind turbine system of claim 11 , wherein the node comprises a proximate opening at the proximate end of the node and a distal opening at the distal end of the node, and wherein a diameter of the distal opening is greater than a diameter of the proximate opening.

16. The airborne wind turbine system of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of aerial vehicles comprises three aerial vehicles, and wherein the plurality of tethers comprises three tethers.