The Airship Prize

Ascent Solar Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASTI), a developer of state of the art flexible thin-film solar modules, announced today that SkySentry, a high altitude vehicle developer headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado, received their first flexible CIGS PV array for an upcoming aerostat test in Sandusky, Ohio, scheduled for mid-September, 2009. The aerostat is part of Army Space and Missile Defense Command’s High Altitude, Long-Endurance Testbed. (more…)

Airship Ventures Zeppelin Eureka — which at 246 feet in length is the world’s largest airship — will return to Long Beach Airport on Sept. 2 for a week of commercial sightseeing flights, and we’re giving away a pair of free tickets. The tickets will go to the person who best answers the following question: “If you could fly over anything you wanted to in the world in Eureka, what would it be?” (more…)

A German-American venture says it is now days from the maiden flight of its 111-foot long, tadpole-esque “segmented” drone airship. The STS-111 “Stratellite”, produced by Sanswire of Florida and TAO Technologies GmbH of Stuttgart, has now been assembled at the firm’s German test centre. According to a Sanswire-TAO announcement issued yesterday, “the first flight of the full scale STS-111 is expected to take place at the end of August”. The test video below shows a smaller prototype Unmanned German sperm dirigible ‘to fly within days’

From DefenseNews: “The U.S. Defense Department’s ISR Task Force will huddle early next month with industry officials about forming a consortium to speed development of high-flying, long-duration unmanned airships to gather battlefield intelligence.” (more…)

SAIC and ZLT Zeppelin to Develop New Pilot-Optional Airships and Market Mutual LTA Product Lines Introduction – Airships are a proven, highly effective, but relatively little-used aerial platform for important applications such as persistent intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR); national security; and support for deployed troops. (more…)

From aviationweek.com: “A lot more detail on the US Army’s plans to test an unmanned hybrid airship for persistent surveillance has emerged in an updated solicitation for the Long Endurance Multi-INT Vehicle (LEMV) demonstration – which is expected to lead to a deployment in Afghanistan.

A hybrid airship combines buoyant, aerodynamic and propulsive lift to make it easier to launch and recover than a true lighter-than-air aircraft.” Staying Up, Staring Down – LEMV Airship

From Kent News: “This unusual looking aircraft is set to be the first solar-powered airship to cross the English Channel from France to Kent. Forward thrust is provided by two large propellers, while lift is taken care of by the massive helium filled tube. And it will get all its power directly and exclusively by the sun. Rays will be captured by a spine of flexible solar panels running down the middle of the balloon.” (more…)

From The Toledo Blade: “There are all kinds of interesting aircraft around Toledo Express Airport or flying in and out, but the one that seems to have elicited the most intrigue is about eight inches off the ground and resting on scaffolding. “We have all kinds of people stop and look, especially when the [hangar] doors are open,” explained Fred Rist, a native of Pemberville.” (more…)

From FlightGlobal: “A 15.2m (50ft)-long prototype for a 95m airship has now been flown 22 times and its developer Hybrid Air Vehicles has submitted bids for US military contracts, including the Long Endurance Multi-INT Vehicle (LEMV) programme for the US Army.” Hybrid Airship Vehicles – Prototype hybrid airship flies

From Mountainview Voice: “NASA Ames deputy director Lew Braxton told a crowd last Thursday that the agency was hard at work on a plan to restore Hangar One within the next 18 months in order to return it to “its original purpose.” “There is a possibility we will have another [airship out here,” Braxton said as he talked about NASA’s plan for Hangar One. The announcement was a revelation to those at the Moffett Field Restoration Advisory Board meeting, some of whom said they’d heard rumors, but no confirmation, that NASA wanted to once more park a huge airship inside the iconic structure. Among other things, it would mean that NASA plans to re-skin the hangar after the Navy strips off its toxic siding.
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