Two hydrogen-inflated passenger balloons were launched in North Carolina two weeks ago, on February 16, 2011.
News story from the Statesville, North Carolina Record & Landmark
Two YouTube videos of the launch:
[Warning: annoying and unnecessary background music]
Helium and hydrogen both have the same lift potential . hydrogen ways half as much as helium givving it a big wate advantige
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Hydrogen Is still our best bet and with the use the new anti static poymers. Should be able to come back, safely and bigger than ever..
H2 has its benefits, and problems. One problem is that the molecule can migrate through some fabrics that He would not go through.
H2 has about four times the lift of He.
One thought would be: encase an inner H2 balloon within a larger He balloon, or, at least isolate the people and vital flight capabilities from the H2.
Certifications: beats me. Do they even have distinctions between different-lighter-than-air gases?
Um, four times the lift? Where you gettin’ that from?
Yeah, or some stray static electricity or an “act of God”.
I ponder how they got the certification to fly with hydrogen. However, I do agree with the principle: Hydrogen will have to be used again for lighter than air craft. Helium, as wonderful a gas as it is, is getting expensive. By and large, hydrogen is the only other choice if LTA is to survive…
Hydrogen? Isn’t that like, suicide?
Hydrogen isn’t suicide, unless those balloons are expecting a lot of incindiary AA fire…