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NASA requests comment on airship challenge

ByAnthony Wood

November 26, 2014

2 Comments

Artist's concept of NASA airship (Image: M. Hughes/Eagre Interactive/Keck Institute for Space

Studies)

NASA has submitted a request for information in order to gauge the interest of industry,academia, innovators and enthusiasts regarding a potential airship design challenge. The agencyhopes that the 20-20-20 Airship Challenge would incentivize the development of innovativeairships, such as blimps and zeppelins with the ability to maintain position high in Earth'sstratosphere, providing a platform not only for astronomy and Earth sciences, but also forcommercial uses.

Whilst some inflatables (such as weather balloons) already operating in the stratosphere havetheir uses, there also have many drawbacks. For example, whilst a weather balloon is capable

enough at gathering meteorological data, it's completely at the mercy of the winds, and istherefore incapable of gathering targeted data. An airship has no such weaknessthey aredesigned to be lighter than air and capable of holding their position under their own steam,providing stability and maneuverability that's valuable for numerous industries.

It is because of these strengths that companies and agencies such asLockheed Martin,ThalesAlenia Spaceand NASA hope to harness the flexibility of the airship for a number of roles. Forexample, telescopes could be mounted on either end, transforming it into an adjustable stellar

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imaging platform. The airship could also be utilized to monitor climate change in a static region,or even provide telecommunication and wireless services to remote communities.

"You would be able to follow weather patterns, even get above a hurricane. A satellite can't dothat because its orbit can't be changed," states JPL astrophysicist Jason Rhodes.

Whilst the potential applications of the project are manifold, NASA has stated that at this pointthere are no plans to accept proposals for a manned airship, although the agency has not ruled itout for future development.

To help incentivize the project, NASA is planning to put up a US$2-3 million prize purse to besplit between the two competition tiers. Tier 1 of the competition would require entrants' airshipsto achieve a stable altitude of 20 km (12 miles) with a 20 kg (44 lb) payload. The airship mustthen hold position within 5 km (3 miles) diameter of the station area and safely return thepayload to the surface intact. Tier two of the competition follows the same pattern as the first,but requires airships to haul a 200 kg (440 lb) payload to be carried to the target altitude where it

must remain for a period of 200 hours.

If the competition is deemed viable, the agency hopes to initiate the 20-20-20 Airship Challengesome time in 2015, the first and second tier taking place over the following 3- 4 years.