Washington: NASA has reportedly proposed a challenge that calls for airship designs that can fly higher and longer than existing airships. At the moment, no airship — blimp-like devices — can maintain an altitude of 65,000 feet for more than 8 hours.
Weather balloons can soar to that height but are difficult to control and vulnerable to winds.
Such airships could aid scientists in research on astronomy and climate change and even be more capable than weather balloons. An airship could carry telescopes into the stratosphere to observe stars and other celestial bodies.
The proposed challenge would include two tiers. The first tier would call for designs for an airship that can lift 44 pounds and hover at 65,000 ft. for at least 20 hours. The second tier designs would need to be a little more complex. Those airships would have to support 440 lbs at the same height but for at least 200 hours.
Familiar blimps that hover around sports games are just one example of an airship. NASA will first measure public interest in the airship competition before officially launching it.