Title: Solar-Powered UAV Can Stay Aloft for Years
Author: Ned Smith
Publication: LiveScience
Date: September 22nd, 2010
Link: http://www.livescience.com/8649-solar-powered-uav-stay-aloft-years.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Livesciencecom+%28LiveScience.com+Science+Headline+Feed%29&utm_content=Google+Reader
Summary:
Boeing, a company that makes Commercial Airplanes and Integrated Defense Systems, recently came up with a new air craft that runs on solar energy. It has the same features of an orbiting satellite, but at a much lower cost. The aircraft can fly as high as 60,000 feet at a speed of 70 to 80 knots while performing communications, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions. This device is called the SolarEagle. During the day, the SolarEagle will collect solar energy and store it in fuel cells for use at night, like most solar powered things do. It is said to make 30 to 90 day missions and it is scheduled to take its first flight in 2013.
Opinion:
I think this is quite interesting. Its pretty cool that they can do the same thing as a satellite while saving money and saving the environment. I remember seeing a commercial for the US Army or something, where they had to stop a satellite collision. With the SolarEagle, this will not happen. The highest an airplane can fly is about 40,000 feet, so it is very likely that nothing too bad will go wrong. I am interested to see how well this works out when they launch it in 2013.
Graphic:
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.instablogsimages.com/images/2010/09/17/boeing-solareagle_CelfM_24429.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.greendiary.com/entry/boeing-solareagle-high-altitude-uav-will-stay-aloft-for-five-years/&usg=__q0IFpvZ6A4Z8zWlUYBVuUBwyTpU=&h=308&w=550&sz=15&hl=en&start=0&sig2=dkXUWhcAMvRk93nfsrajyw&zoom=1&tbnid=HMq19X5r50wxGM:&tbnh=112&tbnw=200&ei=wQvCTcvrIYPQgAf98KDLDg&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dboeing%2Bsolareagle%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DX%26nfpr%3D1%26biw%3D1045%26bih%3D484%26tbm%3Disch&um=1&itbs=1&iact=rc&dur=531&page=1&ndsp=8&ved=1t:429,r:1,s:0&tx=119&ty=52
I believe this is a picture of the SolarEagle. I'm not sure, but it would make sense. It is pretty new, so it's hard to tell.
Questions:
1. Would you rather keep our original satellites, or try out the SolarEagle? Why?
2. Do you think this will get people around the US to reconsider alternative energy resources?
3. Do you think this is going to work as well as our original satellites?
~Becca~ :)
Opinion: I think this is a good thing. This new technology can do the same thing as its predecessors, just, better. The new Solar Eagle will save some energy and reduce risk of crashes. This relates to class because we are learning about ways to save energy. Solar energy is a great alternative.
ReplyDeleteExtension: Graphic- http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.contour2002.org/wp-content/uploads/cc/Satellite_Space_Technology7.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.contour2002.org/article/5-linx-financial-freedom-opportunity&usg=__Esn1TqmuHqSUQGkorHsr6Ee1tDM=&h=250&w=350&sz=101&hl=en&start=0&sig2=3mlN1pZlxGq4g8rOKGJ4Aw&zoom=1&tbnid=az0S_Rr0FrV0gM:&tbnh=112&tbnw=158&ei=uP3CTf-XE8uEtgf68o3XBA&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dtraditional%2Bspace%2Bsatellite%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26biw%3D1005%26bih%3D558%26tbm%3Disch&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=112&vpy=257&dur=94&hovh=190&hovw=266&tx=222&ty=135&page=1&ndsp=17&ved=1t:429,r:12,s:0
I thought traditional satellites already had solar panels on them...jut like the one in this picture...
Answers:
1) I think our system is working fine and there is no need to switch it out now.
2) I think it may inform them further about how there are different possibilities of energy, but no directly impact them to switch.
3) I don't think it will work any better.
Opinion:
ReplyDeleteI think that this is a FANTASTIC idea. I occasionally fly on planes, and it always makes me feel guilty how much of the air I am polluting. I know that airplanes use up a lot of fossil fuels and release carbon into the environment, so I think that if this plane is successful it could work very well. Maybe I can feel less guilty flying on a plane because it will be good for the environment. I think that this idea is a great one especially because planes fly closer to the sun which allows them to get a lot of solar energy. I am concerned to find out if these planes can successfully store energy for the night time. I am excited to see the first one of these fly, and I hope that in the future I will fly on these airplanes.
Extension:http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38142746/
This article is about a test solar powered airplane that successfully flew.
Answers to Questions:
2)I do think that this will get people around the U.S. to consider other alternative energies because it is a HUGE step in moving away from fossil fuels.
3)I do think that this will work as well because scientists today have worked hard on creating safe and efficient things, so I think that this will be safe and efficient.
My Questions:
1)How long does it take them to create these?
2)How many have been created?
3)Is it expensive to create these planes?
Opinion: It is interesting that solar energy is being used in an aircraft to save on costs. I know that for years, some people have been using solar panels on their homes to heat their homes or their hot water heaters in order to save on electricity and reduce their costs. It is a good thing that we are trying to use solar energy on such a large flying machine to save on costs because it is stressed everywhere that we should be aware of trying to save energy and our planet. I have learned in class and from this article that solar energy is used for many energy resources to produce engery. For this to be used on aircrafts is a big advancement on solar energy use.
ReplyDeleteAnswers:
1) I think we should try the SolarEagle if it saves on cost and if the article is right it should be more efficient as well. Since we are continuously advancing, why not try this new aircraft and see if it actually is more of a benefit to us at lower costs.
2) I do think that it will get people to consider solar energy as an alternative source. It already is an option in homes and they are working on cars. If it is recognized that it is being used in such large aircrafts, it may convince people to try it in their daily living.
3)I am not sure if it will work any better, but if it works even the same as a satellite but at a lower cost, then the SolarEagle is worthit.
Questions:
1. If the SolarEagle does prove to be the same or better than a satellite, in what things do you think solar energy can be used that people an benefit from everyday?
2. If the SolarEagle does prove to be a good aircraft, what do you think will happen to our satellites?
3. If the SolarEagle is dependant on the sun for its energy, will its efficiency be compromised if we have rainy or cloudy weather like we had this past spring?
I think that this is very fascinating and can be beneficial to our planet and population. Solar power is a great way to power UAV's for reconnasiance, intelligence, and communications. The UAV has efficient electrical motors and propellers that will save money, but still deliver energy. Lastly, this UAV can hold up to 1,000 pounds. This ties in to my own life because when we learned about solar energy in class, I could relate to how efficient and beneficial this is going to be. All in all, this solar powered UAV is a great idea and I hope many like this are designed in the future.
ReplyDeleteExpansion:http://www.economist.com/node/7905292 This is a good link telling about solar energy and what it can power.
Questions Answers:
(Answer to #1): I would like to try out the SolarEagle because if it suceeds we could have many of them for years to come that run on solar energy and can stay in orbit.