Author Topic: BBC scoops Helios vertical takeoff story! (Read 339 times)

Mickey1992 · « **on:** August 14, 2001, 09:16:00 AM »

http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/sci/tech/newsid_1489000/1489417.stm

Maybe it's like an emoticon and you have to tilt your head sideways to see it?

AKDejaVu · « **Reply #1 on:** August 14, 2001, 11:10:00 AM »

It wasn't a verticle takeoff bud

This thing is pretty neat. I saw a Wings special on it last week. They are hoping that it can be airborne for up to 4 months. Of course, they are going to need that seeing as how it only moves at about 15 mph.

They are going to use it to check out the polar ice cap I think... something like that.

Anyways, this is the smaller version with only an 80 yard wingspan. The full size version will have a 150 yard wingspan.

Its a very interesting concept.

AKDejaVu

miko2d · « **Reply #2 on:** August 14, 2001, 04:16:00 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by AKDejaVu:
...it can be airborne for up to 4 months. Of course, they are going to need that seeing as how it only moves at about 15 mph.

15 mph indicated at 100,000 feet is what, about 100 mph true speed? Add to it wind speeds in excess of 50 mph, and you probably get quite respectable mobility.

miko

AKDejaVu · « **Reply #3 on:** August 14, 2001, 04:30:00 PM »

LOL! Assuming there's always a tailwind

They built it to stay over an area for a long time, not to travel very far very fast.

Its going to be an observation platform.

AKDejaVu

CyranoAH · « **Reply #4 on:** August 14, 2001, 04:51:00 PM »

If they can reduce production costs (which they will definitely do if the tests are successful), I think we'll see many of those as Telecom. repeaters... far FAR cheaper than LEO satellites and can stay up for months at a lower altitude (faster uplink-downlink times) and providing GEO-type coverage.

Let's hope the full-size version works!

Daniel, aka Cyrano

[ 08-14-2001: Message edited by: CyranoAH ]