The Solar Airship One is an airship that will fly for 20 days around the Earth’s equator in a non-polluting manner

With the energy transition, new ways of flying without generating pollution are being investigated and in this context, Solar Airship One emerges, which is an ambitious project that promises to revolutionize the way we conceive air transport. It is a rigid airship, designed to fly for 20 days around the Earth’s equator, without consuming fossil fuels. This milestone, which stands as a beacon of sustainable aeronautics, represents a decisive step towards a greener future in the skies.

Solar Airship One, developed by Euro Airship, is a 151-meter-long giant, filled with 53,000 cubic meters of helium. Its upper deck, which covers an area of 4,800 square meters, is covered with solar cells that capture the sun’s energy, turning it into the driving force of the airship. During the day, these cells power the electric motors, propelling the giant through the clouds. The leftover energy is used to produce hydrogen, a clean fuel that is stored for use at night.

In the dark, stored hydrogen powers the electric motors through a fuel cell, allowing Solar Airship One to continue its journey without interruption. This virtuous cycle of solar energy and hydrogen storage is the basis of its 20-day autonomy, enough time to complete a trip around the Earth’s equator, covering a distance of 20,000 kilometers.

The cruising altitude of the Solar Airship One is around 6,000 meters, where weather conditions are more stable and air resistance is lower. This height allows the airship to travel at moderate speeds, around 80 km/h, without requiring a large amount of energy. This feature, together with its lightweight design and electric propulsion, makes it a vehicle with low energy consumption, compared to conventional aircraft.

But the advantage of airships of this type lies not only in their energy efficiency. Its ability to carry heavy weights over long distances, without the need for landing strips, makes it an ideal tool for transporting goods and people in remote or difficult-to-access areas. And it can play an important role in the logistics of the future.

The versatility of this airship extends to multiple applications. It can serve as an observation platform for scientific research, offering a unique perspective for the study of the atmosphere, climate and Earth’s surface. Its ability to fly at low speed and stability make it an ideal vehicle for large area surveillance, forest fire detection, search and rescue, and disaster management.

It seems to me that the Solar Airship One project is more than just a technology demonstration. It is a commitment to a green future, where technology and sustainability come together to create innovative solutions to the challenges of air transport. Its success would not only mark a milestone in aviation history, but could also drive a transition towards a more efficient, cleaner and sustainable transportation system.

The construction of this giant airship represents an engineering challenge that requires collaborative work from experts in various areas. From the manufacturing of ultralight and resistant materials, to the design of high-efficiency solar cells and the integration of energy storage technology, each stage of the project demands innovation and precision.

Solar Airship One faces a road full of challenges. Optimizing the design to maximize energy efficiency, developing advanced control and navigation systems, safety during operation and legal regulation are some of the obstacles you will have to overcome. However, the possibilities that this project opens up are as great as its scope.

Within the future sustainable aeronautical transport, non-polluting airships may have a non-negligible niche in the market, since high speed is not always an imperative necessity.

With all my heart I wish them the greatest success.