New Mars Forums

Official discussion forum of The Mars Society and MarsNews.com

You are not logged in.

Announcement

Announcement: As a reader of NewMars forum, we have opportunities for you to assist with technical discussions in several initiatives underway. NewMars needs volunteers with appropriate education, skills, talent, motivation and generosity of spirit as a highly valued member. Write to newmarsmember * gmail.com to tell us about your ability's to help contribute to NewMars and become a registered member.

#1 2018-10-22 17:31:20

SpaceNut
Administrator
From: New Hampshire
Registered: 2004-07-22
Posts: 28,882

Earth Cloud Cities, Why Not?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Floating_ … in_fiction

Belter wrote:

So what would be the use of people floating in cloud cities and how would that be different from floating in Earth orbit with 1G stations?

Futuristic but I think to heavy for a starting point:
cloudcity.jpg

More like what I would have envisioned with Venus:

RS37576_venus-balloon-colony.jpg

This is the nasa planned:
24342E9C00000578-0-image-a-8_1419182454519.jpg

Ya its an off shot that deserves its own topic area.

The venus blimp would be a good start with its solar panels on the roof to provide power.

How much power would we need to stay in the sunlight?

What would be the optimum altitude that we would want it to reside in?

How would we travel to and from this city?

What would its economy be based on?

Here are just a few of my own questions for talking points.

Offline

#2 2018-10-23 04:56:45

Terraformer
Member
From: Ceres
Registered: 2007-08-27
Posts: 3,817
Website

Re: Earth Cloud Cities, Why Not?

Well, we know that it's possible to land fixed wing aircraft on airships - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Akron_(ZRS-4) Unfortunately, the people with experience doing it are all dead.

It would be hard to justify a flying city, but a flying aircraft carrier? Now that might be doable. You're not restricted then to the oceans. Maybe tricky for military use, but for getting aid into landlocked places it could be good. Bring an entire hospital in.

I favour a twin 'catamaran' system for airships, though. You can then put cargo containers in the middle, and lower them to the ground once landed.


"I'm gonna die surrounded by the biggest idiots in the galaxy." - If this forum was a Mars Colony

Offline

#3 2018-10-23 17:31:48

SpaceNut
Administrator
From: New Hampshire
Registered: 2004-07-22
Posts: 28,882

Re: Earth Cloud Cities, Why Not?

Well for a military carrier we would need stealth technology to make it blend in....

Offline

Board footer

Powered by FluxBB