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submitted 10 months ago by L4s@lemmy.world to c/technology@lemmy.world

The world's largest aircraft breaks cover in Silicon Valley::As dawn breaks over Silicon Valley, the world is getting its first look at Pathfinder 1, a prototype electric airship that its maker LTA Research hopes

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[-] ColeSloth@discuss.tchncs.de 2 points 10 months ago

That massive size and slowness and expensive material and depleting helium can only haul 8,000 pounds beyond its crew. For comparison, the most common passenger jet there is; the Boeing 737 can haul around like 50,000 pounds depending on how much fuel is on board.

It's a cool concept, but I can't fathom it ever doing a whole lot of good. The more carbon neutral appropriate thing to do that would be a viable option would be for jets to use a different fuel source. Maybe massive solar arrays at airports used to create liquid hydrogen and craft designed to run on that instead of jet fuel. I don't really know myself, but I know there's no way anything other than very niche scenarios will crazy huge expensive zeppelins be used.

this post was submitted on 09 Nov 2023
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