5 ms·
Excuse the silly question if it is one, but would one option be not a full vacuum but only marginally lower density of air inside the balloon, supplemented by s
by davnicwil 8y ago
Excuse the silly question if it is one, but would one option be not a full vacuum but only marginally lower density of air inside the balloon, supplemented by solar-powered propellers? Could there be a material strong enough to handle a minimal density difference to provide enough lift for it to work?
- nradov 8y agoNo not even diamond is strong enough to allow generating a useful amount of lift that way.
- lawlessone 8y agoTo add to your Idea, could a "null ship" be carried to a greater height and then where the air is thinner have it's gas removed to take everything a little higher? Like rocket stages but for airships.
- astazangasta 8y agoAt a greater height you need a larger airship to provide the same lift. As you move towards the vacuum of space and the differential becomes less the lift per unit volume is less.
- lawlessone 8y agoaww :(
- astazangasta 8y agoYeah I had this idea also, steam vapor at 1/8 atm might be easier than a full vacuum. Havent done the math, though.
- jeffreyrogers 8y agoAny structure strong enough to withstand the pressure from outside the vacuum weighs too much to be lifted. At least that's what I read in some aerodynamics book. Maybe some materials scientist will come along and prove that wrong.
- beamatronic 8y agoCan we make many small ones instead of one big one?
- shkkmo 8y agoAs volumes decrease in size, the ratio of surface to volume increases, make weight a bigger issue with smaller envelopes (given that surface thickness would not be able to decrease proportionally).
- deleted 8y ago[deleted]
- andbberger 8y agoI don't think the possibility can be entirely discounted. Consider composite materials, a honeycomb. Much more difficult to analyze than a sphere of steel