Purdue researchers developing solar/fuel-cell powered spy blimp

Researchers at Purdue University are working on a solar and fuel-cell powered blimp that could stay in a geostationary orbit at 65,000 feet, and remain in position for up to a year. The project, funded by the U.S. Air Force, is intended to create a network of airships that could be used for surveillance, missile defense, and other expensive and dubious military applications. The technology is similar to that being developed for the "Stratellite," a civilian airship project that is being built to provide WiFi, cellphone service and HDTV services.

[Thanks, Jesse]

[Max Irwin @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

If this is a spy blimp, I hope the final version is not bright baby-chic yellow.

[Mark Sumner @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

Please note that it's not possible to "orbit" at 65,000ft -- geostationary or otherwise. However, you can "hover" if those solar cells are giving enough power fot station keeping.

[Gary @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

Considering the winds aloft can reach sustained speeds of over 100 mph, I'd love to know how they intend to stay in one spot even with the correction fans on full blast. The ballon is going to be HUGE - likely preventing speeds faster than 10mph relative to surrounding air. If they are using the blimp purely as a repeater for RF, it may be ok since at that height the signal can be heard hundreds of miles away.

[TAZ427 @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

People go back and read the original story. It flies above 65,000ft. And there's plenty of strata above 65K ft that has relatively little sustained winds.

Also, Mark, go look up the definition of Orbit, it's not restricted by any distances from object or require that orbit be sustained w/o effort that would be natural orbit. Plus the original article didn't say anything about Orbiting so as not to confuse the narrow minded people of the world who believe that orbiting need be w/o the expending of effort by the orbiting object to maintain the orbit - or orbiting at a specific distance.

TAZ

PS: The color should have been old gold (Purdue Colors Black and Old Gold) -- Hail, Hail To Old Purdue! All Hail To Our Old Gold And Black! ...

[ZeroPoint @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

Also, the air is so thin at 65,000ft that when wind moves at 100mph it only gives a force of a wind at a few mph down here on the surface, so the fans don't actually have to expend that much energy to keep it stationary. At 65k ft there are hardly ever any winds anyways, and if there are, they are usually small.

thanks for clearing everything else up TAZ.