- cross-posted to:
- technology@lemmy.world
- cross-posted to:
- technology@lemmy.world
The world’s largest aircraft breaks cover in Silicon Valley::As dawn breaks over Silicon Valley, the world is getting its first look at Pathfinder 1, a prototype electric airship that its maker LTA Research hopes
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Ha, yes let’s use a limited resource (helium) to save the earth!
No, I don’t have a better idea… and maybe the improvement is worth it. After all I’ll be dead in 100-200 years when helium runs out on Earth, but climate change is already having a huge impact.
I concur. This is really fucking stupid. The only actual advantage that airships have is loitering time, and solar aeroplanes can already loiter for months albeit with a small payload.
If you really care about the environment, make it an unmanned post and use more efficient (because it’s lighter) and abundant hydrogen. Chance of explosion is pretty low, and if it does who cares.
Afaik they want to use hydrogen, it is actually pretty safe with modern understanding, but regulations make it hard to pursue.
Wonder how such a large and slowly maneuvered craft will fare against the more unpredictable and strong weather associated with climate change.
I’d be really excited for a vacuum ship
Not as large as the Cargolifter, which has only been built as 1:8 model for testing, but still impressing.
Pathfinder 1 is only built at 1:10 scale though, so it’s actually much larger than Cargolifter.
The article states Pathfinder 1 is 124 m long, but does not say that its a 1:10 model. However, Cargolifter CL160 would have been 260 m long.
