- High-altitude airship
The
United States Department of Defense Missile Defense Agency has contractedLockheed Martin to construct a high-altitude airship (HAA) to enhance itsBallistic Missile Defense System (BMDS). An unmanned lighter-than-air vehicle, the HAA, is designed to operate above thejet stream in a quasi-geostationary position to deliver persistentstation keeping as a surveillance platform, telecommunications relay, or a weather observer. They propose to launch their HAA in 2008. The airship would be in the air for up to one month at a time and can survey a convert|600|mi|km|sing=on diameter of land. It will use solar cells to provide its power and will be unmanned during its flight.It will have the capability to survey a convert|600|mi|km|sing=on diameter of land whether that be for surveillance, weather observations etc. It is to be composed of high strength fabrics to minimize weight as well as lightweight propulsion technologies. It will operate at a height of above convert|60000|ft|m and will have a payload for military use. It will be around convert|500|ft|m long and convert|150|ft|m in diameter.
Links
* [http://www.lockheedmartin.com/products/HighAltitudeAirship/index.html HAA page at Lockheed Martin]
* [http://www.globalsecurity.org/intell/systems/haa.htm HAA page at Global Security]
* [http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/lockheed-wins-1492m-contract-for-high-altitude-airship-updated-01607/ HAA contract info]See also
*
Stratospheric airship
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.