Airship gets an order

[LittleInch]

This seems to be a real thing.

https://www.hybridairvehicles.com/our-aircraft/our-technology/

https://www.theguardian.com/busines...ntract-to-launch-1800-jobs-in-south-yorkshire

Now it seems to be a reservation for 10 airships which isn't quite the same as actually buying them but the airlander 10 is a strange shaped thing.

Not sure how much room it needs to land. If it can land in a smaller space than an air field it could open up some new routes for shorter city to city or replace ferries.

Remember - More details = better answers
Also: If you get a response it's polite to respond to it.

 

[itsmoked]

Always amazes me that people don't realize helium is a non-renewable resource that once released into the atmosphere is gone forever. It leaves into space never to return. So, dorks waste it into giant gasbags that will ultimately leak it all out.

Keith Cress
kcress -

http://www.flaminsystems.com

 

[rb1957]

1) where do we get Helium from if not from the atmosphere ? Is there some rock (silicon Helide ??) that we harvest ?? Helium is a gas, gases are in the atmosphere.
2) we could build a machine to make Helium, like a fusion power plant.
3) we could harvest Helium from other ET sources.
4) We could try Hydrogen (again) ... but we know how that turned out

another day in paradise, or is paradise one day closer ?

 

[SuperSalad]

1) where do we get Helium from if not from the atmosphere ? Is there some rock (silicon Helide ??) that we harvest ?? Helium is a gas, gases are in the atmosphere.
2) we could build a machine to make Helium, like a fusion power plant.
3) we could harvest Helium from other ET sources.
4) We could try Hydrogen (again) ... but we know how that turned out

1) Helium is mined from underground wells, not harvested from atmosphere. There aren't many of these wells on Earth. Furthermore it is a noble gas and does not bond or react to other elements.
2) Um, we could...I suppose, but we don't have that machine at this point.
3) I have no idea.
4) I believe the problems with hydrogen (in specific regard to the Hindenburg) would be unlikely to occur again with modern technology and safety systems. The stigma would be difficult if not impossible to overcome though.

- Andrew

 

[rb1957]

google "helium mining" ... get links to crypto currency !!??

better googling gets ...
"Helium may be the second most abundant gas in the universe, but it is also the second lightest, making it easy to slip right out of the earth’s atmosphere. While outer space is overflowing with Helium, its presence deep under the earth’s crust makes it difficult to harvest.

How Is Helium Extracted?
Helium is mined along with natural gas, using a drill rig to drill wells deep into the earth’s crust. A drill rig must penetrate a layer called the Cap Rock to reach a natural gas reserve. Once located, the natural gas and Helium rise and fill the rig, which are then led through a series of piping systems that transport the natural gas and crude Helium to a refining plant."



another day in paradise, or is paradise one day closer ?

 

[SnTMan]

Drill, baby, drill

The problem with sloppy work is that the supply FAR EXCEEDS the demand

 

[TugboatEng]

Interesting, looks like just this year our Federal Helium Reserve got transferred to GSA for liquidation.

https://www.cganet.com/helium-short...:text=The Helium Stewardship Act of,30, 2021.

Also, helium is a byproduct of natural gas wells. An unusually high producing well is 0.3 - 2.7% Helium (wikipedia). That's a lot of greenhouse has per cubic foot.

 

[rb1957]

Helium is a GHG ?

another day in paradise, or is paradise one day closer ?

 

[Guest102023]

Yes helium is mined; it is a product of radioactive decay of heavy metal. The available quantity is finite, and when it's gone it's gone.

Helium is as critical a material for security as any metal, but it does not seem to have been treated that way.

"If you don't have time to do the job right the first time, when are you going to find time to repair it?"

 

[IRstuff]

Helium has been in short supply, relatively, for many years, now; there are critical cryogenic applications that can only be serviced with helium, but we still dump tons of it in the form of balloons.

TTFN (ta ta for now)
I can do absolutely anything. I'm an expert!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKorP55Aqvg

faq731-376 forum1529 Entire Forum list

http://www.eng-tips.com/forumlist.cfm

 

[Guest102023]

IRstuff,

You've given me an idea for a phone app called Virtual Helium Balloon. Talk into it normally and the person at the other end hears the helium enhanced version.

Of course the down side would be accidentally leaving it on when doing a job interview remotely.

"If you don't have time to do the job right the first time, when are you going to find time to repair it?"