A look at Sergey Brin’s “Pathfinder One,” a carbon fiber rigid airship. I’m sure *this* time it’ll work…
Airships have been on the verge of a return for generations. Progress is made, promise is shown, then the money runs out, the attention shifts, the tech doesn’t pan out, policies change. It’s a technology that we *know* works, and can certainly work better than it did back when these things were actually used… it just never seems to pan out. Plus: am I alone in watching videos like this and getting a vaguely sad, depressed feeling when you see a half-built vehicle just sitting there in a largely empty space with very few people about? Sure, maybe they filmed this on a Sunday or a holiday or during lunch break, but it comes off as something abandoned.
Also: blimps.
4 responses to “A new airship”
Lighter-than-air craft have the same problems now as back in their heyday. Doesn’t matter about new tech or whatnot. LTA ships are always much more susceptible to the weather, and can get blown about here and there.
In S.C. Gwynnes book about the R101, the hydrogen bags were made from cattle stomach linings shipped from Brazil. I didn’t believe it either but he describes the incredibly smelly process in detail. And yes, weather made everything almost impossible.
Ok, actually cattle intestines from Argentina! https://www.historynet.com/sc-gwynne-interview/
‘Blimpin ain’t easy