Possible payload for a future airship

Could a JP aerospace launch platform be used to raise a telescope?

The attached link is about the BLAST project which uses a large Helium ballon to lift a telescope weighing 1.5 tons. Sounds like just the sort of task a JP platform might be suited for although that amount of weight might need a bigger ship. A JP airship should give a more stable platform and be used to orientate the telescope more accurately than swinging beneath a large ballon.

http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=17094

It would also be a good airborne laser platform.

I have some airship links at the bottom--first some misc. news

Nice toy for the kids:
http://www.apii.com/products.asp?idDept=17

Here is where the Xprize folks need to get their money:
http://guide.theemiratesnetwork.com/liv ... _dubai.php


Mega-lift airships
http://www.main.org/polycosmos/glxywest/aerie.htm

Huang, H., Mikyska, M. et al.: 1993, Aerotecture: The Return of the Rigid Airship, Institute of Design Communications Center, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago.

On page 428 of AMERICAN SCIENTIST Vol 92 (Sept-Oct 2004) is an interesting article on diamagnetic levitation that might make the handling of airships above magnetized strips handle a bit better.

Here's another article that gives a possible mission for a JP airship, how about cruising the skies of Titan? If NASA ever get funding for it, JP would stand a good chance of winning a contract for it.

http://aviationnow.ecnext.com/free-scri ... =TITA10035

Venus would be a great place for both Ascenders and Dark Sky Stations.

As soon as the first Ascender hits orbit I'm inner solar system bound!

JP

www.jpaerospace.com

Why not do Titan as well, if NASA is willing to give you some cash? You could have an Ascender mission control steering airships over a dozen different planets and moons, total solar system coverage.

Once you perfected the mission you could use variations on it for most destinations which would minimise the costs.

Do a search for the Army's Walrus concept.

I keep a eye on most of the airship projects out there. The Walrus is one of the heavy lift, low altitude vehicles. Walrus is a very apt name.

It appears to be a offshoot of the ZMC-2 (all metal hull) airship. If it really gets built it will be an amazing airship.

I wonder if there is a way to use beamed power for a lifter-zep using ion wind. It makes me wonder about the tales of the 'giant triangles" and such Art Bell claims to have seen.
I think it may be best to contact folks from different ventures who all need the production facilities to produce bulk quantities of large-surface area material:

http://www.liftport.com/forums/showthre ... 6#post2206
http://www.liftport.com/forums/showthre ... 7#post2207

I mentioned your info over at the space elevator folks site. It may be possible to convince them of an Airship SE base. Speaking of Art Bell, a Balloon chain might be a good way to stabilize a Space Elevator (SE shaft)

The latest Popsci has the Aeroscraft
http://www.aerosml.com/PopSci.asp
http://www.aerosml.com/aeroscraft.asp

Ooooooh, me likes very very much. Very very very much. Even more than the Liberty Ship, methinks.

You mean the mile long Freedom ship of Norm Nixon ( www.shipworld.com ?)--or the nuclear lightbulb Liberty HLLV from www.nuclearspace.com ?
http://www.nuclearspace.com/a_liberty_ship.htm

Yeah, I meant the Freedom Ship. Bah, I fail.

Rumore has it (History Channel) that the Pyke-crete ice/sawdust mix proposed for the Habbakuk might be used for that.