Friday, June 18th, 2010

On Beyond Blimps

Lockheed Martin's P-791 surveillance prototype (artist's depiction). Locheed Martin image.

You probably know the Goodyear blimp, and are familiar with the Hindenburg disaster -- but modern blimps are alive and well. This week, the US Army announced it would award $517 million towards the development of three 'Long Endurance Multi-Intelligence Vehicle systems' -- advanced blimps. Hybrid airships, as they're called these days, are being explored for a variety of applications, including surveillance and cargo transport. We'll talk about the technology.

Guests

Tom Crouch
Senior Curator, Division of Aeronautics
Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
Washington, D.C.

Brandon Buerge
Aerodynamicist and Lead Scientist
Guardian Flight Systems
Elizabeth City, North Carolina

Related Links

Segment produced by:Aleszu Bajak

Image: Graf Zeppelin over Egypt, 1931.
Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons.

Image: Guardian Flight Systems' prototype airship.
Courtesy Brandon Buerge.

Image: Northrop Grumman has been awarded a $517 million agreement to develop up to three Long Endurance Multi-Intelligence Vehicle (LEMV) systems for the U.S. Army.
Northrop Grumman Corp.