Could solar powered passenger planes replace Zeppelin type air ships in the future ?

I think this is Topspeed’s personal thread……:)

Here is SOLAR IMPULSE like spanning craft with 2 x solar panel area.

Extra feature are the new accus that provide lotsa power for longer period !

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIPsyl3ogc8

Ie 10 x more power and four times the weight compared to SI.

Small update on this one man one satellite carrier !

On rocket power from 35 km onwards..the thrust is 2 x 5 kN !

In 1865 Jules Verne has been on light propelled ships that fly to space; http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/02/pictures/110208-jules-verne-google-doodle-183rd-birthday-anniversary/

That is 149 years ago !?

Helios is closest to this sofar with 30 000 m altitude.

See this too…537 m2 and 120 kw out put ; http://twistedsifter.com/2012/07/worlds-first-solar-powered-boat-to-circumnavigated-world/

I am afraid so..insane project..sorta.

I wanna explain this a bit…the flying wing does not have the best Cl…and it has also positive Cm..to compensate this they have down side pods ( that cause massive drag ) to give negative Cm..its like ½ as efficient as it could be.

This has gone 1469 meters higher than Caproni Ca 161;

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8e/Grob_G_850_Strato_2C_D-CDLR_in_2012.jpg/800px-Grob_G_850_Strato_2C_D-CDLR_in_2012.jpg

Wingloading is 89 kg/m2.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grob_Strato_2C

The modular design of Helios would lend itself to carrying a payload spread evenly over multiple pods; I doubt it could carry a single man (even without a cockpit able to reach 30,000m) without structural failure!

I am afraid so..insane project..sorta.

1600 lbs = 720 kg…minimum fly weight.

862 kg loaded 270 kg max payload.

The modular design of Helios would lend itself to carrying a payload spread evenly over multiple pods; I doubt it could carry a single man (even without a cockpit able to reach 30,000m) without structural failure!

I guess so.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Schematic_of_HP03_Hydrogen-Air_Fuel_Cell_Configuration.png/675px-Schematic_of_HP03_Hydrogen-Air_Fuel_Cell_Configuration.png

Payload is 720lb / 329kg.

But is that 720 / 1052kg just the minimum weight of the vehicle…..with zero payload?

Not such a good landing either! 🙂

Yes, and what payload?

It has 5 huge pods underneath..looks pretty heavy.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASA_Helios

Insanely heavy…720/1052 kilos.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]225030[/ATTACH]

Payload 270-329 kg.

It had 1/10th of the wing area compared to my ship SOLAR EAGLE.

28 hp took Helios to 30 km ( 29 432.5 m )…

Yes, and what payload?

It isn’t just about taking off though. It is about taxying, hangar, ground manoeuvring. There is a reason for the 80m commercial limit.

In addition, the wing will have a huge amount of flex in it with that span (unless you make it very thick) . Bend that may not be possible if it’s covered with solar panels.

I figure the wings can be detachable.

It isn’t just about taking off though. It is about taxying, hangar, ground manoeuvring. There is a reason for the 80m commercial limit.

In addition, the wing will have a huge amount of flex in it with that span (unless you make it very thick) . Bend that may not be possible if it’s covered with solar panels.

28 hp took Helios to 30 km ( 29 432.5 m ); http://web.riverdeep.net/current/2001/08/082701_helios.jhtml

Interesting that according to Wiki it used 560kW engine rather more than your design.

128m span!. There isn’t an airfield on the planet that wil be able to accomodate it! Maybe you should think of a seaplane.

I have a 1/5 scale model here…and other to carry payload to orbit…two different things…same problem with LauncherOne..luckily the craft ( Solar Eagle ) takes off after 100 meter dash.

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Caproni has huge drag…and same wing area as my model…so it is an interesting comparison…my craft wing loading is 1/6th of the Caproni. Power is 1/10th….I’d say the drag 1/10th in my craft..I should calculate it..I found no 3-views of the Caproni.

Interesting that according to Wiki it used 560kW engine rather more than your design.

128m span!. There isn’t an airfield on the planet that wil be able to accomodate it! Maybe you should think of a seaplane.

http://dieselpunks.blogspot.fi/2010/10/invincible-caproni.html

Interesting eh ?