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If this is correct then it's good news for those balloon based internet projects which always stuck me as short sighted in light of the view at the time that he
by nmstoker 7y ago
If this is correct then it's good news for those balloon based internet projects which always stuck me as short sighted in light of the view at the time that helium was running out
- mwilliaams 7y agoThat’s no problem, those balloons could always just use hydrogen!
- i_am_nomad 7y agoMaybe you’re joking, but really, why not? They’re unmanned, and so a catastrophic failure is much less of a concern. If helium scarcity is a serious enough problem, then by all means, full those blooms with H2 and launch them from a safe zone.
- FlyMoreRockets 7y agoThe problem with hydrogen is that it is a much smaller molecule than helium and leaks from light, thin-walled containers like balloons. Heck, it can even leak along grain boundaries in metal containers.
- stickfigure 7y agoHelium leaks too, just at a slower rate. Hydrogen is cheaper to top up.
- deleted 7y ago[deleted]
- jfk13 7y agoIf you're trying to keep a massive network of balloons aloft to provide wide-area internet connectivity, the logistics involved in topping up the gas mean that the frequency of top-ups required may be a greater concern than the cost of the gas involved.
- NikkiA 7y agoChemical (non-electrolysis) hydrogen generators are a thing, although not directly useful for larger scale needs like the fuel cell hype, they are adequate for topping up balloons.