 |
Skyhook Jess Heavy Lifter Like Pournelle's Skyhook
The Skyhook Jess Heavy Lifter (JHL-40) is an ambitious new aircraft that is part blimp and part helicopter. It is designed to lift up to forty tons in one load and travel up to 320 kilimeters.
(Skyhook Jess Heavy Lifter [JHL-40])
The Skyhook, which is being developed by Skyhook International of Calgary in conjunction with Boeing, is a "blimp on steroids because it's got more than 20,000 horsepower" according to Skyhook president Pete Jess.
The helium-filled envelope fully supports the weight of the empty aircraft - it has neutral buoyancy. The four Boeing model 234 rotors attached on the air frame are entirely dedicated to lifting and maneuvering payload.
This heavy lifter may remind science fiction viewers of a very similar device from Jerry Pournelle's 1976 novel West of Honor; in fact, it's similar enough to have the same name:
The troops outside were grinning at us as they cut loose the tethers holding the balloons. Nothing happened, of course; the idea of Skyhook is to have almost neutral buoyancy, so that the lift from the gas bags just balances the weight of the load.
(Read more about Pournelle's Skyhook)
For contributing the name and promoting the general idea, I think that the company should at least offer Jerry Pournelle a free ride on the thing...
If you're interested in heavy lifters, take a look at the Dynalifter, a hybrid helium gas / gasoline-powered engine craft.
Scroll down for more stories in the same category. (Story submitted 7/9/2008)
Follow this kind of news @Technovelgy.| Email | RSS | Blog It | Stumble | del.icio.us | Digg | Reddit |
Would
you like to contribute a story tip?
It's easy:
Get the URL of the story, and the related sf author, and add
it here.
Comment/Join discussion ( 0 )
Related News Stories - (" Transportation ")
easyJet Short-Haul Electric Jets
Have a little faith, will you? They're working on it.
Hyperloop One Video Shows It Works!
'Complete evacuation of the interior of the tubes [and] a wave that provides the new propulsive energy for the cars...' Hard Vincent, 1929.
Flexup Tire Design Good For Tumblebugs
'Each spoke telescopes into five sections.'- Neal Stephenson, 1992.
Musk Tunnels Wisely Restrict Drivers
Too many robots.
Technovelgy (that's tech-novel-gee!) is devoted to the creative science inventions and ideas of sf authors. Look for the Invention Category that interests you, the Glossary, the Invention Timeline, or see what's New.
Current News
Dubai Scorpion Police Hoverbike Ready To Pull Young Kirk Over
'Is there a problem, officer?'
HEXA Robotic Help For Plants
Then some unknown race had chanced upon the dreamers and decided to "help them out."
Korean Tesla Model S Video 'Excelsior' Is Indeed Our Motto
'Improving man by bringing him close to Nature, while they combine the sensations of coasting with the interest of seeing the country well...'
DIY Robot Shoots You In The Face
'...there were automatic guns that fired ligamine darts.'
A Bayesian Approach to Safe Imitation Learning For AIs and Robots
Um, how about that pension for the humans who serve as the models for robot behavior?
Qoobo Headless Robotic Therapy Cat Was Anne McCaffrey's Idea
'...used as surrogates in intense dependency cases.'
Autonomous Cars Talk To Each Other At MCity
'My cars talk to one another.'
PUFFER Robots - From Philip K DIck's Second Variety?
'Across the ground something small and metallic came, flashing in the dull sunlight of midday.'
Russian Space Garden
'We saw the gardens, flooded with artificial sunlight...'
Targeted Neuroplasticity Training For 'Downloading Skills'
'I know kung-fu.'
U of M's MCity To Feature Asimov's Automatobuses
Should you turn autonomous buses off?
Crazyflie Drone Swarm Technology
'...Programmed to hang in space in a hexagonal grid pattern.'
Our GodBot, Who Art In Cyberspace
Vaal hungers! We must serve him.
easyJet Short-Haul Electric Jets
Have a little faith, will you? They're working on it.
Meet Assist-e Honda's Self-Balancing Motorcycle
'He had never ridden any motorized device that lacked onboard steering and balance systems...'
Kalashnikov's One-Seater Hovercraft
Not for windy days.
