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Lockheed's High Altitude Airship

swordboy writes "Lockheed Martin has just awarded a contract to UniSolar Ovonic regarding development and delivery of flexible, lightweight solar cells for the U.S. government's High Altitude Airship security project. The proposed 500-foot-long dirigible is to fly at a stratospheric 70,000 foot altitude - above both jet stream and severe weather. The thin-film solar technology, although low in peak conversion efficiency, can potentially deliver a whopping 2500 watts/kilogram. This is the same technology as the previously discussed GE organic LED project - just with the physics in reverse. Broadband communication blimp, anyone?"

11 of 294 comments (clear)

  1. Those "router crashes"... by TheConfusedOne · · Score: 4, Funny

    ...would be a tad more dramatic then wouldn't they?

    Though the really great thing is that you could use the ol' tinfoil beany to actually reflect the "mind control waves" then.

    --
    --- I wish I could hear the soundtrack to my life. That way I'd know when to duck.
    1. Re:Those "router crashes"... by dasmegabyte · · Score: 4, Funny

      be a tad more dramatic

      Oh, the humanity.

      --
      Hey freaks: now you're ju
  2. It's part of mind control.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny


    first they put up a blimp at 70K feet then they tell us its for national security and they LIE LIE LIE LIE LIE!!!!! This "blimp" will be beaming MIND CONTROL BEAMS into the brain of every citizen of Planet EARTH!!! We will become pawns of the ILLUMINATI and sheep in their WORLD domination MACHINE!!!

    Already I feel the tin foil on my head being penetrated by THEIR MIND CONTROL RAYS!!!!!

    @!(#U@)#U@U#()@!U#()@#)(@!U AAAAAHHHHAAH

  3. Re:Can I shoot at it? by grub · · Score: 5, Funny


    If your shotgun can hit something at 70,000 feet I think you may be in for a visit by Mr. Ashcroft & Co.

    --
    Trolling is a art,
  4. wow. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny
  5. Hah! by Dragonshed · · Score: 5, Funny

    just with the physics in reverse

    Colonel Sanders: Prepare to reverse physics!
    Peon: Preparing to reverse physics!
    Colonel Sanders: Reverse physics!
    Peon: Reversing physics, sir!
    ...
    President Skroob: Oh sh*t! Quick turn it off!
    Colonel Sanders: We can't, it's irreversable.
    Dark Helmet: .. like my rain coat.

  6. Re:Zeppelin Overlord jokes... by Wun+Hung+Lo · · Score: 5, Funny

    "Death Balloon" just doesn't have the same ring as "Death Star". :(

  7. AFDB by Embedded+Geek · · Score: 5, Funny
    Dude, you simply need a better Aluminum Foil Deflector Beanie.

    The above link has folding instructions and fashion advice. Just make sure your browser has cookies enabled. No real reason. Honest. Just, well, it'll enhace your AFDB experience.

    Trust me on this.

    --

    "Prepare for the worst - hope for the best."

  8. Re:Can I shoot at it? by Chairboy · · Score: 4, Funny

    If your shotgun can hit something at 70,000 feet, I think you may be in for a visit from every military and weapons contractor, each with drool covered checkbooks in one hand and unsigned exclusive use contracts in the other.

  9. Not a balloon by burgburgburg · · Score: 4, Funny
    1st Voice Over: Meanwhile for Ferdinand von Zeppelin, the year 1908 was a year of triumph.

    (Cut to interior of a zeppelin. A party. Expensively dressed guests. Champagne. A palm court orchestra playing. Some guests looking out of the windows in wonderment.)

    Von Bulow: (approaching Zeppelin) Herr Zeppelin - it's wonderful! It's put ballooning right back on the map.

    (Zeppelin goes instantly berserk with anger.)

    Zeppelin: It's not a balloon! D'you hear?... It's not a balloon... It's an airship... an airship... d'you hear?

    (He hits him very hard on the top of the head with the underside of his fist.)

    Von Bulow: Well, it's very nice anyway.

    Tirpitz: (to Zeppelin) Tell me, what is the principle of these balloons?

    Zeppelin: It's not a balloon! You stupid little thick-headed Saxon git! It's not a balloon! Balloons is for kiddy-winkies. If you want to play with balloons, get outside.

    (Drags Tirpitz over to the door, opens it and flings him out into the clouds.)

    Tirpitz: Aaaaaaaaaghhh!

  10. An funny blend of technologies by Phat_Tony · · Score: 5, Funny

    so...
    It uses "the same technology as the previously discussed GE organic LED project"
    in a new dirigible?

    Making it...
    A LED Zepplin?

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