Re: Mobile domes, bugs and other topics

[Charles J Knight <c dot knight at juno dot com>]

> Has anybody heard something about a dirgible type heavy lifter in 
> planning
> or construction. I seem to rememeber hearing about that. Wouldn't 
> that be
> cool. Build one(dome) here at my shop/plant and deliver it with plug 
> in
> essentials. JJ

I don't have the URL handy, but it sould be able to be found on
google.  http://www.google.com

It's a company called L.T.A.S. (Lighter Than Air Solar), and is
owned by a guy named Mike Walden.  He designs and builds
rigid dirigibles, based on geodesics, from a foam-core material,
and covers the tops with solar cells for a completely autonomous
fully solar-powered aircraft.

They look like "flying saucers" and have caused a bit of a scare
in Mexico -- you've probably seen the footage on some of the
"fringe science" and "UFO wacko" TV specials.

As to whether or not it's going to be built, he's already got
designs for all classes of ships.  But, he needs funding to build
some of the bigger ones.  (He's a "startup.")

Another possibility is CargoLifter, Inc, a company building
a more traditionally shaped (cigar shaped) heavy lifting
ship.  http://www.cargolifter.com is the URL, I believe.  But
its capacity is nowhere near that of some of Mike's designs,
and its operation would be nowhere near as cheap.

     -- Chuck Knight
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