3 ms·
If only Earth had, say, 1.5x the atmospheric pressure and two thirds the gravity. Lighter-than-air vehicles could be super feasible (but so would heavier-than-a
by Sharlin 5y ago
If only Earth had, say, 1.5x the atmospheric pressure and two thirds the gravity. Lighter-than-air vehicles could be super feasible (but so would heavier-than-air ones!)
Zeppelins could be absurdly useful on Titan as well as the upper atmospheres of Venus and even the gas giants.
- Pxtl 5y agoActually wouldn't it be the other way around with gravity? Higher gravity would make planes less practical while airships don't care because their lift comes from buoyancy that scales with gravity. That said, thicker air would also mean more lift from wings, wouldn't it? And more drag for the massive cross-section of an airship.
- Sharlin 5y agoTwo thirds the gravity, so thicker air and less gravity is what I meant. Gravity doesn't affect buoyancy, but it does affect the weight of the payload. Lower gravity means you lift more stuff with the same buoyant mass, right? And yeah, thicker air would mean more drag, but also more thrust from the engines.
- Pxtl 5y agoWouldn't gravity affect buoyancy? Since buoyancy is caused by the heavier substance flowing under the lighter substance and pushing it upwards, wouldn't higher gravity mean higher buoyancy, and therefore the lifting power vs payload would be a wash?