Space Blimp

China recently test-launched a near-space airship loaded with wideband communication and data relay equipment as well as high definition cameras, sensors and spatial imaging technology. Dubbed Yuanmeng, it will eventually provide constant surveillance over a hundred thousand square mile area for advanced warning of military threats, and will also supply backup for communications satellites. As part of a network designed to detect and track potential enemy targets, the dirigible-style aircraft will combine its own data with data gathered from other sources such as satellites, submarines and drones, while cruising at an altitude that keeps it out of range of most missiles.

The gigantic 250-foot airship occupies a volume of 18,000 cubic meters (635,664 cubic feet) and can carry payloads of more than 50 tons. Powered solely by helium and electricity – generated by solar panels mounted on the outer surface – it will eventually be able to stay airborne for more than six months without the need for fuel.

Airships are a logical choice for use in the near-space region of the atmosphere, which lies between 10 and 20 kilometers (65,000 and 328,000 feet) above sea level. At these altitudes, there simply isn’t enough air to support the wings of traditional aircraft. But floating an airship at an altitude of 12 miles above the earth’s surface is not without challenges, such as the temperature extremes that occur from day to night.