Is it a colossal blimp? Is it a giant flying whale? Apparently it’s none, but a hulking specimen of an advanced dirigible (an airship), conceptualized by industrial designer Eric Strebel for the 2085 Terra Prix. Intriguingly gargantuan in its scope and fascinatingly sustainable in its application; this 550 m long behemoth will be driven by four hemispherical EMP (electro-magnetic Pulse) thrust turbines and will have the capacity to carry 15 passangers for “indefinite period of time”.
Poetically named as the Albus Tell (Albus is the Latin for white, alluding to Alps, while Tell comes from Swiss folk hero William Tell), the airship was originally built by the Swiss military to transport troops across the mighty Alps. But now the whole contraption will be renovated and revamped by the design team into a spectacular embodiment of high-tech technology fused with efficient energy systems. The conspicuously bulbous solar skin (fibrous) will integrate an organic polymer nano tube technology to optimize the degree of clean solar power generation. The sturdy nature of this energy producing cover will also allow the ship to be airtight and weatherproofed at the same time (touted to resist temperatures of up to -40 degree centigrade).
The expansive spatial volume of the airship will be utilized as a sheltering area for the whole racing team (for the 2085 Terra Prix). It will feature a myriad of service areas including eating and sleeping quarters, fuel storage, maintenance space, and electronic telecommunication facilities. But most importantly, a custom container of the main base will also house the Gigernaut: 7, a racing truck that can be hauled back and forth from the dirigible through a specially made 15 m long heavy lift mechanism (contrived according to the guidelines set by IPRF – International Prototype Racing Federation).
So, overall the ambitiously grand conception is all set to make its mark in high altitude racing around the world, invigorated by the elemental essence of sustainability.
Thanks: [Eric Strebel]
