5 ms·

I made a small deck with ideas for airship architecture. Just for fun: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1r6CPFJ1AX1ZULacguTf6IyCS1dyiqFz_HsjH-evYiHg/edit

I made a small deck with ideas for airship architecture. Just for fun: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1r6CPFJ1AX1ZULacguTf6IyCS1dyiqFz_HsjH-evYiHg/edit https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1r6CPFJ1AX1ZULacguTf6...

ant6n 5y ago
I have never tried to raise money from VCs. Is something like the above good enough these days? How many Mio will this raise?
carapace 5y ago
That's awesome. I mentioned Bucky's "Cloud Nine" on a comment of yours ten days ago, it seems you're all over it, eh? Have you seen Alexander G. Bell's cellular geodesic kites? I feel like a cellular system makes sense because it would be easier to manufacture and assemble large systems out of collections of smaller systems.
- dr_dshiv 5y ago
  Yes! The cellular approach, with a combination of kite power and hydrogen… seems like a lot of force. I’ve wondered about a sea anchor turbine, where the lifting power changes from day to night would spin the turbine, and provide enough power to keep the airship or platform in place (eg, to do cloud seeding duties)
  - carapace 5y ago
    > The cellular approach, with a combination of kite power and hydrogen… seems like a lot of force. Riiiight? :) The (defunct) Magenn co. had the idea of making Magnus effect pontoons that would stay aloft and generate electricity. https://newatlas.com/magenn-mars-floating-wind-generator/11109/ https://newatlas.com/magenn-mars-floating-wind-generator/111... http://energykitesystems.net/0/Magenn/ http://energykitesystems.net/0/Magenn/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnus_effect https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnus_effect I like to say that the Magnus effect is to the wing as the wheel is to the sled runner. (BTW, the link on your HN profile has some sort of problem. "connection has timed out")
    - dr_dshiv 5y ago
      Thanks for the tip. Fixed! Do you know this paper? It’s a fave. Magnus effect ftw! https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsta.2012.0086 https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsta.2012.008...
      - carapace 5y ago
        I haven't seen that paper before but I've heard of similar ideas. It seems like it might be helpful, but I'd be wary of unintended side effects, eh?
LargoLasskhyfv 5y ago
Nicely done. I enjoyed it. One even had the airstrip on top I suggested elsewhere. Hurr! I also didn't know someone seriously considered giant nuclear airships? Did this come straight out of Hollywood, or was it the other way around?! But there is something in these concepts I don't get. In the depictions of the 'promenade' there is always solid ground where you stand on, and then have to lean over to look down through angled windows. Why not make at least parts of the promenade fully transparent, like it is on some observation decks in tourist destinations? Also the cabins seem to be a waste of room. I think something between a capsule hotel and https://sleepbox.com/ https://sleepbox.com/ would suffice. In this mode of transport everything should be about maximizing the special viewing experience. The rest for lounge, bar, restaurant, salon, maybe selfcleaning toilets and washrooms. If tired? Sleep. Why would I need so much room for sleep? Given a travel time of some days to maybe two weeks? Just watch, watch, watch and relax :-)
- dr_dshiv 5y ago
  Well, remember, the limitation is weight not space. You could give each person a very large bedroom upstairs, with a view out the side. However, windows would still be heavy! But a glass bottomed ballroom would be a nice touch, if you ask me.
  - LargoLasskhyfv 5y ago
    Plastics! ;>

ant6n 5y ago

I have never tried to raise money from VCs. Is something like the above good enough these days? How many Mio will this raise?

carapace 5y ago

That's awesome. I mentioned Bucky's "Cloud Nine" on a comment of yours ten days ago, it seems you're all over it, eh? Have you seen Alexander G. Bell's cellular geodesic kites? I feel like a cellular system makes sense because it would be easier to manufacture and assemble large systems out of collections of smaller systems.

dr_dshiv 5y ago
Yes! The cellular approach, with a combination of kite power and hydrogen… seems like a lot of force. I’ve wondered about a sea anchor turbine, where the lifting power changes from day to night would spin the turbine, and provide enough power to keep the airship or platform in place (eg, to do cloud seeding duties)
- carapace 5y ago
  > The cellular approach, with a combination of kite power and hydrogen… seems like a lot of force. Riiiight? :) The (defunct) Magenn co. had the idea of making Magnus effect pontoons that would stay aloft and generate electricity. https://newatlas.com/magenn-mars-floating-wind-generator/11109/ https://newatlas.com/magenn-mars-floating-wind-generator/111... http://energykitesystems.net/0/Magenn/ http://energykitesystems.net/0/Magenn/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnus_effect https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnus_effect I like to say that the Magnus effect is to the wing as the wheel is to the sled runner. (BTW, the link on your HN profile has some sort of problem. "connection has timed out")
  - dr_dshiv 5y ago
    Thanks for the tip. Fixed! Do you know this paper? It’s a fave. Magnus effect ftw! https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsta.2012.0086 https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsta.2012.008...
    - carapace 5y ago
      I haven't seen that paper before but I've heard of similar ideas. It seems like it might be helpful, but I'd be wary of unintended side effects, eh?

LargoLasskhyfv 5y ago

Nicely done. I enjoyed it. One even had the airstrip on top I suggested elsewhere. Hurr! I also didn't know someone seriously considered giant nuclear airships? Did this come straight out of Hollywood, or was it the other way around?! But there is something in these concepts I don't get. In the depictions of the 'promenade' there is always solid ground where you stand on, and then have to lean over to look down through angled windows. Why not make at least parts of the promenade fully transparent, like it is on some observation decks in tourist destinations? Also the cabins seem to be a waste of room. I think something between a capsule hotel and https://sleepbox.com/ https://sleepbox.com/ would suffice. In this mode of transport everything should be about maximizing the special viewing experience. The rest for lounge, bar, restaurant, salon, maybe selfcleaning toilets and washrooms. If tired? Sleep. Why would I need so much room for sleep? Given a travel time of some days to maybe two weeks? Just watch, watch, watch and relax :-)

dr_dshiv 5y ago
Well, remember, the limitation is weight not space. You could give each person a very large bedroom upstairs, with a view out the side. However, windows would still be heavy! But a glass bottomed ballroom would be a nice touch, if you ask me.
- LargoLasskhyfv 5y ago
  Plastics! ;>