An analysis is made of the stresses in the skin of an inflated nonstretchable sphere during normal, nonrotating impact with a hard flat surface, assuming infinite modulus of elasticity in the skin and infinite propagation speed of stress waves. The analysis is further applied to the study of the inflated sphere landing vehicle containing a payload suspended at the center. CurvesARE PRESENTED SHOWING THE STRESS DISTRIBUTIONS DURING IMPACT FOR CASES CORRESPONDING TO THOSE CALCULATED IN PREVIOUS REPORTS IN WHICH THE IMPACT MOTION AND PAYLOAD LANDING PERFOR ANCE CAPABILITIES OF THE LANDING VEHICLE HAVE BEEN STUDIED. (Author).