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Wow, that's one huuuuuuuuuuge... Blimp.
- Thread starter srobert
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That is a very interesting use for a blimp. I'm happy to see that my home state of Ohio will be benefiting from this project with Lockheed Martin.
Space Station Research Yields New Information About Bone Loss
Houston - Mar 10, 2004 This article on the same page is also of great interest to me. NASA is continuing to study this issue.
A new NASA-funded study revealed how bone loss increases the risk of injuries, highlighting the need for additional measures to ensure the health of spacecraft crews. The study provides new information about bone loss caused by prolonged space flight. The study is in the online version of the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research.
It is being done at Tuft's University here in Boston. I applied for the 52 day. I was not accepted because I was too tall, because the equipment would not be compatible.
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/spacetravel-04h.html
Space Station Research Yields New Information About Bone Loss
Houston - Mar 10, 2004 This article on the same page is also of great interest to me. NASA is continuing to study this issue.
A new NASA-funded study revealed how bone loss increases the risk of injuries, highlighting the need for additional measures to ensure the health of spacecraft crews. The study provides new information about bone loss caused by prolonged space flight. The study is in the online version of the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research.
It is being done at Tuft's University here in Boston. I applied for the 52 day. I was not accepted because I was too tall, because the equipment would not be compatible.
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/spacetravel-04h.html
In related news, Communist China is working on a small, remote-controlled, high-altitude missile that is designed to shoot darts....
Those Brave Men and their Daring Dirigibles
President Bush said in a radio announcement to-day, These United States have fallen behind the other great empires of the world in war-dirigible technology. I would be negligent in my duties as president of our great nation to let this situation continue un-abated.
President Bush went on to describe his plans for a new department of the military, called the lighter-than-air force. When questioned later, Vice-President Cheney said the cost of the new program, though steep, was intended to protect our peaceful agrarian nation from aggressors, such as Bolshevik Russia and the emerging Chinee threat. We cannot allow dangerous regimes such as the perfidious Bolsheviks and the guileful Chinee to advance beyond us in war-dirigible technology. With our new lighter-than-air force, we shall tower over our enemies as the Greek gods of the Pantheon towered over their worshippers. All questions relating to the mis-adventures of Icarus were blithely dismissed as un-patriotic and dangerous. Those news-paper men and their pessimism do not serve this nation well to question every decision made by this honorable administration, Mr. Cheney was heard to say later.
President Bush said in a radio announcement to-day, These United States have fallen behind the other great empires of the world in war-dirigible technology. I would be negligent in my duties as president of our great nation to let this situation continue un-abated.
President Bush went on to describe his plans for a new department of the military, called the lighter-than-air force. When questioned later, Vice-President Cheney said the cost of the new program, though steep, was intended to protect our peaceful agrarian nation from aggressors, such as Bolshevik Russia and the emerging Chinee threat. We cannot allow dangerous regimes such as the perfidious Bolsheviks and the guileful Chinee to advance beyond us in war-dirigible technology. With our new lighter-than-air force, we shall tower over our enemies as the Greek gods of the Pantheon towered over their worshippers. All questions relating to the mis-adventures of Icarus were blithely dismissed as un-patriotic and dangerous. Those news-paper men and their pessimism do not serve this nation well to question every decision made by this honorable administration, Mr. Cheney was heard to say later.
Its actually pretty damn cool. It will be able to stay up over a battlefield or border for months and basically be untouchable. Not to say you couldn't develop something to shoot it down, but it will have defenses. Probably a nice high powered laser would do the job...
But, regardless, its a lot cheaper to have this thing up there then having to fly multiple missions in a plane.
D
But, regardless, its a lot cheaper to have this thing up there then having to fly multiple missions in a plane.
D
Mr. Anderson said:
@60,000 feet its vulnerable to some SAMs (mostly truck mounted things that make easy targets from the air) and from air to air attacks from planes built after 1960 or so.
Its specced to carry a 1 ton load and supply it with 10kw. You can power a serious radar array with that or a good sized laser. This could be one heck of an air superiority weapon.
Peaceful uses would be such things as communications stations or meteorological studies. It would be great for launching dropsondes.
At a distance of 60,000 feet (closest it can be to SAM if it's right overhead, it will usually be considerably more), I guess this blimp could have good chances of intercepting enemy missiles, especially if it got a cutting edge radar and is equipped with a laser. (as MongoTheGeek said)
Such a laser could be used once perfected:
> Link to description of laser <
This laser could even theorically intercept and desintegrate artillery shells. If it can intercept missiles (with speeds up to mach 10), there is no telling what it could do to slower moving aircrafts or ground vehicles. I'm not sure if the power cells could generate enough electricity to power it or if the blimp could carry a big enough capacitor. Let's not even talk about "laser long distance precise assination" (Anyone remembers Robocop commercials?)
As for peacefull use, It could easily enough be modified to fly at the edge of space, making a decent platform for astronomical equipment.
Such a laser could be used once perfected:
> Link to description of laser <
This laser could even theorically intercept and desintegrate artillery shells. If it can intercept missiles (with speeds up to mach 10), there is no telling what it could do to slower moving aircrafts or ground vehicles. I'm not sure if the power cells could generate enough electricity to power it or if the blimp could carry a big enough capacitor. Let's not even talk about "laser long distance precise assination" (Anyone remembers Robocop commercials?)
As for peacefull use, It could easily enough be modified to fly at the edge of space, making a decent platform for astronomical equipment.
[/IMG]MongoTheGeek said: