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Sailing The Atlantic—By Balloon!

rynner2

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New technology rather than new science, but still intrigueing:

‘Flying mattress’ to cross Atlantic
Matthew Campbell

TO highlight the benefits of alternative energy sources, the first woman to row the Atlantic solo plans to enter the record books again next year by crossing it in a solar-powered “sail balloon”.

Backed by the best of French industry, Peggy Bouchet, 34, has captured the public’s imagination – and admiration – with her planned 3,000-mile journey from west Africa to the French West Indies. She aims to set off early next year.

Windream One, as her 90ft craft is known, is an odd-looking contraption which, from behind, is reminiscent more of a giant air mattress than a helium-filled balloon.

In a crisis such as an unscheduled landing on water, the gondola suspended beneath it would double as a survival capsule. The most unusual feature, however, is the chien de mer (“sea dog”), a curved, carbon-fibre fin which, when lowered by rope from the gondola into the ocean, acts as a ship’s keel, enabling the balloon to travel almost into the wind.

Windream One is powered by solar panels and wind turbines. “With any luck, this will help to raise people’s awareness of the possibilities of renewable energy,” said Bouchet, a sentiment supported by Theolia, the wind turbine manufacturer sponsoring her.

A graduate of Plymouth University, where she studied logistics and shipping management in 1994, Bouchet made her mark in 2000 by rowing the 2,485 miles from the Cape Verde Islands to Martinique. This time she will be flying between 150ft and 300ft above the waves at about 17mph. She and co-pilot Stéphane Rousson expect the journey to take 8-12 days.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/w ... 327812.ece

There's a website with a video simulation
http://www.teamtheolia.com/uk/index_uk.php?page=projet
 
Um, hasnt she heard of sailing vessels yet?

I believe they are popular in some circles.
 
Crossing the Atlantic in a more straightforward balloon.

Three pilots will attempt the first hydrogen open basket gas balloon crossing of the Atlantic next month.

British explorer Sir David Hempleman-Adams, 66, will be joined by American balloon manufacturer Bert Padelt, 62, and Swiss scientist and entrepreneur Dr Frederik Paulsen, 72, for the adventure.

The crew, with a combined age of more than 200, will be the oldest people to cross the Atlantic in an open basket gas balloon.

Their route will take them from Maine in the US, over Newfoundland in Canada, across the Atlantic Ocean, and then Ireland and Scottish waters before they land in Europe.

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/atlantic-isle-of-skye-ireland-atlantic-ocean-canada-b1101257.html
 
Crossing the Atlantic in a more straightforward balloon.

Three pilots will attempt the first hydrogen open basket gas balloon crossing of the Atlantic next month.

British explorer Sir David Hempleman-Adams, 66, will be joined by American balloon manufacturer Bert Padelt, 62, and Swiss scientist and entrepreneur Dr Frederik Paulsen, 72, for the adventure.

The crew, with a combined age of more than 200, will be the oldest people to cross the Atlantic in an open basket gas balloon.

Their route will take them from Maine in the US, over Newfoundland in Canada, across the Atlantic Ocean, and then Ireland and Scottish waters before they land in Europe.

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/atlantic-isle-of-skye-ireland-atlantic-ocean-canada-b1101257.html
Is a hydrogen balloon intrinsically more dangerous than a hot-air balloon?
The latter has been used for Atlantic crossings a few times already.
 
Is a hydrogen balloon intrinsically more dangerous than a hot-air balloon?
The latter has been used for Atlantic crossings a few times already.
Could a direct lightning strike cause a hydrogen balloon to ignite/explode? Unlikely I know but..
 
Could a direct lightning strike cause a hydrogen balloon to ignite/explode? Unlikely I know but..

Don't know.
Just can't really see the point in this planned Atlantic crossing when crossings by balloon in an open basket have already been made.
 
Don't know.
Just can't really see the point in this planned Atlantic crossing when crossings by balloon in an open basket have already been made.
What's the point in climbing Everest? It's been done thousands of times.
 
But this is just crossing the Atlantic in an open basket, kept aloft by a slightly more dangerous balloon.
Yeah I’m not arguing with you - some like to do this sort of thing & if they’ve got the resources, why not?

There’s an element of derring-do, dependent on weather, wind direction etc. I can only find 2 successful balloon crossings after 14 failures, the first in 1978 was a helium balloon. Branson & Lindstrand seem to be the only hot air balloon crossing, so the hydrogen one would be a first of sorts.
 
Crossing the Atlantic in a more straightforward balloon.

Three pilots will attempt the first hydrogen open basket gas balloon crossing of the Atlantic next month.

British explorer Sir David Hempleman-Adams, 66, will be joined by American balloon manufacturer Bert Padelt, 62, and Swiss scientist and entrepreneur Dr Frederik Paulsen, 72, for the adventure.

The crew, with a combined age of more than 200, will be the oldest people to cross the Atlantic in an open basket gas balloon.

Their route will take them from Maine in the US, over Newfoundland in Canada, across the Atlantic Ocean, and then Ireland and Scottish waters before they land in Europe.

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/atlantic-isle-of-skye-ireland-atlantic-ocean-canada-b1101257.html

Busted.

A group of explorers hoping to be the first to fly across the Atlantic in an open basket hydrogen balloon have said they are "extremely disappointed" after the attempt had to be abandoned.

British explorer Sir David Hempleman-Adams, 67, who lives in Wiltshire, and two friends took off from Presque Isle, Maine, in North America, just after 02:30 UTC [03:30 BST].

But after about seven hours in the air, the crew were forced to land, at 09:40 UTC [10:40 BST] near New Brunswick, Canada, due to weather conditions.

A spokeswoman for the crew, who are safe and well, said: "They will attempt it again but it's too early to say when at the moment."

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cd1x920v1p2o
 
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