Airships: A New Horizon for Science
  The "Airships: A New Horizon for Science" study at the Keck Institute for
Space Studies investigated the potential of a variety of airships currently
operable or under development to serve as observatories and science
instrumentation platforms for a range of space, atmospheric, and Earth science.
The participants represent a diverse cross-section of the aerospace sector,
NASA, and academia. Over the last two decades, there has been wide interest in
developing a high altitude, stratospheric lighter-than-air (LTA) airship that
could maneuver and remain in a desired geographic position (i.e.,
"station-keeping") for weeks, months or even years. Our study found
considerable scientific value in both low altitude (< 40 kft) and high altitude
(> 60 kft) airships across a wide spectrum of space, atmospheric, and Earth
science programs. Over the course of the study period, we identified
stratospheric tethered aerostats as a viable alternative to airships where
station-keeping was valued over maneuverability. By opening up the sky and
Earth's stratospheric horizon in affordable ways with long-term flexibility,
airships allow us to push technology and science forward in a project-rich
environment that complements existing space observatories as well as aircraft
and high-altitude balloon missions.
