FUTUROLOGY CHRONICLE NO 17 - LIGHTER THAN AIR -

LTA’s 8.0

Lighter Than Air - 8th generation

1st January 1785, 1.05 pm, Dover. First attempt to cross the channel in Aerostat from England to France

The Montgolfier brothers invented hot air balloons(1780), demonstrating them in public for the first time in 1783. A few months later, the first piloted hot air balloon flight was undertaken by the pilot Pilâtre de Rozier, with an army officer, the marquis d’Arlandes.

The same year, Jacques Charles, a physicist, and the Robert brothers created a hydrogen-filled balloon. The achievement was a breakthrough for this nascent invention.

Then came the risk-taker – Jean-Pierre Blanchard, an inventor who was also a physicist. The young buck developed a pedal car and hydraulic devices, as well as performing a jump... in an umbrella! Hydrogen, discovered by Henry Cavendish, will be crucial to the success of the French flying craze.

The idea of giving the nacelle wings and rudders came from Blanchard, who had been working on the construction of a flying vessel since 1781 and was identified with the goal to build a dirigible and undertake free flight.

Blanchard persisted and, on March 2, 1784, he accomplished a remarkable achievement by taking off from the Champ de Mars, flying across the Seine, and landing safely on the left bank in the Rue de Sèvres.

In September 1784, he arrived in England with the crazy intention of flying back. The fantasy became a reality four months later.

On January 7, 1785, the sky was clear: it was a very chilly morning. Jean Pierre Blanchard and Doctor Jeffries chose to fly to the French shore against sailors' recommendations to the contrary.

The balloon, whose impermeability was questionable, was carrying 43 tiny kilos of articles and ballast as it rotated on its axis above the castle of Dover and, at 1:05 p.m., it started from England, heading to the French shore.

The balloon, which had wings, a rudder, and a propeller, moves slowly and occasionally loses height, requiring the two men to part with supplies, wings, a rudder, a reel, nacelle decorations, and finally the bottle that they had brought with them to open in the event of a celebration.

The pair are compelled to perform an unlikely “striptease” over the English Channel by the aerostat, which is still losing height. They are down to their cork waistcoats alone. None of it works.

Pilot Pilatre de Rozier first ascend on Champ de Mars ,Paris in 1784

Jeffries offers to sacrifice himself but fortunately the balloon began to ascend once more. The balloon crossed the shore between Capes Gris Nez and Blanc Nez at three o'clock with its final and highest leap of the trip. With a gust of wind, the two pilots manage to land in the “Guînes” woodland without crashing. The first airborne crossing of the English Channel had just been accomplished by JeanPierre Blanchard and John Jeffries.

On the basis of this achievement, the Frenchman received numerous requests for demonstrations abroad in Germany and Belgium. However, Blanchard passed away at the start of his seventieth climb after experiencing apoplexy while in flight.

Illustration: Blanchard and Jeffries’ balloon with its first navigation-aid improvement crossing the channel, 7th January 1785

AN LTA RENAISSANCE, 242 YEARS LATER

Every scientific study is built on a 360 degree open minded mentality and absolute objectivity, and I trained myself to adhere to this fundamental principle.

In 2020, at the start of the epidemic, I saw an increase in the amount of glitzy news around new LTA projects in the atmosphere and the stratosphere a term that regroups balloons, aerostats, dirigibles, and haps.

I've worked in the satellite and rocket industries for 37 years, so I'm naturally sarcastic, but I found it amusing when the major companies in the space industry boasted about their plans to return to the Moon and land people on Mars so many millions of miles away from an LTA altitude!

Today, all of my colleagues are currently engaged in deep space research and frequently discuss nuclear propulsion and meteoroid interception.

As a result, when you discuss LTA with them, they reply with stories about their amazing balloon ride over the Kenyan savannah or about flying over a temple in Cambodia. However, don't risk telling them that a new, significant market is about to emerge. They will simply laugh out loud!

Now, in 2022, the wind is changing weirdly as a result of the “ethos” around climate change. To sum up:

An LTA observation platform can be launched with a small amount of helium instead of an 80 to 150 million dollar rocket launcher that releases polluting nitrogen and methane into the atmosphere.

Zero CO2 emissions and no skylight pollution. Astronomers, you may applaud. No orbital debris risks see the Orbital Dash chronicle edition as the LTA is brought down silently to the ground with almost no impact upon landing.

The cost of the highest LTA in the stratosphere (at 20 km) is 10% or less of the launch cost of an LEO satellite.

For which usage? Observation of the effects of climate change, assistance during natural disasters, telecom networks 5G/6G, border patrol, and support for warfare and intelligence are only a few examples. What are we waiting for, you're going to ask after reading that list?

Well, the disadvantage is that a single GEO satellite that covers 1/3 of the earth is extremely far away (35,000 km) from the maximum possible upper LTA location. But on the other hand, to the LTA advantage, a 300 m radius is the right size for climate control and telecom space to ground applications.

The typical station-keeping lifetime of a geostationary satellite is 15 years. For maintenance and servicing, a stratospheric LTA must be brought down once a year with another replacing it in rotation.

To be fair, LTAs do not have the ambition of replacing any satellite models but rather smartly propose to be a telecom relay to the ground. It would take too much time to compare LTAs with LEO satellites (like Starlink) but the comparison is to the LTA advantage even more.

We won't defend LTA causes that don't need to be protected in this chronicle. You'll be surprised, like I was, at the number of applications that have sprung from the minds of these unconventional operators who have faced ridicule from their space industry colleagues but who are firmly rooted in their business models. Then, after finishing your reading, come to your own conclusion. A climate change crucial tool, a 1500 gram weather balloon, carries instruments aloft to some 30 km in altitude in the stratosphere to send back information on atmospheric, temperature, humidity, and wind speed by means of a small, expendable measuring device called a radiosonde.

LOW ALTITUDE TETHERED LTA

We will begin at the initial low altitude when a balloon rises from 30 to 150 meters. But don’t worry, we'll climb to an altitude of 35 km chapter after chapter! In this industry, the launch failure of a Google project dubbed “LOON” occurred in 2018. With the power of a billionaire, they set out to bring the internet to people in rural parts of the world.

Reaching the final billion consumers who lack mobile and internet connectivity was been the challenge that Loon aimed to solve: the communities in locations that are too difficult or inaccessible to access, or regions where providing services using current technologies is simply too expensive for regular people to access, and too lacking in RoI for companies to undertake.

It began services in Kenya, a country that is prone to innovation but ran into technical problems with narrow jet paths and strong winds.

With more modest goals and practical approaches, two European companies entered this industry with the straightforward idea of using telecom towers to offer internet connectivity across a maximum 18 km radius.

You can just picture the telecoms sector giggling. Google's billions of dollars can't do it! Now, hesitantly, the Europeans will attempt to match it…

EONEF (France) and TAO (Germany) provided the responses with humility, simplicity, and effectiveness. Their LTA is tethered to a vehicle with a double cable providing internet connectivity.

The applications for this type of swiftly deployable internet service are considerable. For example, it can help with disaster relief, being set up at the neighborhood crisis center after a natural disaster or another event, with a number of communication and data reception technologies on board.

Because of the balloon's height (30 t 150 meters), it is possible to extend the signal range of the systems, reducing the need for additional ground infrastructure deployment and, consequently, the operation's footprint.

According to the onboard sensor, the aerostat enables the dissemination of vital information to the people on the ground as well as being able to issue an alarm if needed. It can help coordinate the local rescue teams' logistical efforts while dispatching information at the national level, geolocating convoys, and permitting data transmission to the crisis center. Overall, the aerostat can ensure the durability of communications between two sites that are far apart.

And it’s not just disaster events that this can aid with. To reinforce the infrastructure in place in advance of the 2024 Olympic Games, one obvious application is to get the Ile de France region ready to host quickly deployable crowd security and anti intrusion air service systems in an urban area. Reinforcing internet provision at large gatherings festivals, pilgrimages, and so on is also another use. Quick deployment in one hour with a payload of 5 kg, a flight time of up to 30 days nonstop, and wind resistance of up to 60 km/h. Quite a feat.

Payload with high precision cameras sensors for the monitoring of sensitive industrial sites or large scale events

AIRLINE “GREEN” SURROGATE

The British company Hybrid Air Vehicles (HAV) and the Spanish airline “Air Nostrum”, which is based at Valencia Airport, have signed a letter of intent (LOI) for the operational lease of ten Airlander 10 aircraft. The tricky part now is that the certification of the airships must occur before planned delivery can take place.

If this pledge can be confirmed, HAV aims to begin delivery in 2026 to Air Nostrum, which would serve as the launch business. https://youtu.be/_phicOPoQT8?t=22

HAV intends to begin building the 100 seat airship in South Yorkshire, England. In terms of "reduced environmental footprint and operational efficiency”, Air Nostrum has underlined the benefits of the airship.

For a start, it can take off from any "fairly flat" surface (on land or water) and won't need runways or other obtrusive infrastructure. Without elaborating further on their prospective deployment, city centers and communities without airports are only a few examples of potential uses.

As a result of Airlander 10's remarkable pollution reduction, the enthusiast first movers fill all the green concerns for a new approach that sensitive customers will vote for with certainty.

Don’t worry there is really a pilot in this LTA version!

Sustainability is already an unavoidable reality in the day to day operations of commercial aviation. The Airlander 10s will use electric power together with a helium-filled superstructure and can carry up to 100 passengers.

When it is moving vertically, the wings provide around 40% of its lift. Launched in 2014, the Airlander made its initial flight in August 2016 using standard engines. The Airlander 10 is about 100 meters long, has a maximum payload of 10 tons, and has a range of 4000 Nm. It should be able to fly for five days at an altitude of 6 km.

SLOW MOTION, GREEN AND CHIC TOURISM

The first planned trip of the Swedish operator “OceanSky” is a cruise over the North Pole and the Artic with a triple gimmick: silence, elegance, and green flying! And with this one can come back to the early days of aviation, offering plenty of comfortable rooms, social bar encounters, and real bedrooms!

A luxury airplane supported by helium will be used by OceanSky Cruises AB, a Swedish aviation firm, to transport 16 passengers and seven crew members from Norway to the Arctic and back sometime between 2024 and 2025.

It intends to achieve this in order to bring back a form of passenger transportation that many people believed had been abolished.

According to OceanSky Cruises, modern airships are a sustainable form of transportation since they produce significantly less carbon dioxide per passenger than airplanes and are less crowded, noisy, and stressful than flying by plane.

Check out the astonishing video: https://oceanskycruises.com/life onboard/

OceanSky Cruises' CEO and creator, Carl-Oscar Lawaczeck, claimed that his company could give passengers a luxurious environment similar to that found on an ocean liner, but at a speed that is four times faster.

Operating at altitudes of around 10,000 feet means cabins don’t have to be pressurized, so the tiny, reinforced windows of the guests’ cabins, a restaurant, and a bar are among the additional features planned for OceanSky Cruises' 320 foot long airship, which is currently imagined as a luxurious airborne experience.

A North Pole view from a comfy bed! This is neat!

GREEN SKY YACHTS Vs. CO2 EVIL BUSINESS JETS!

Given that LTAs are once again in style thanks to their green credentials compared to the CO2 evil business jets, it came the moment for an Italian designer to say in a snooty manner: “I won't construct a trash blimp like they did in the last century! All amateurs in the genre will be flabbergasted by my design!”

As always, Lazzarini design studios (Rome) accomplished it with flair by throwing aside the norm, redefining luxury and speed on land and at sea for a private Air Yacht that is one of a kind.

The 80 meters main hull of the Air Yacht, which is made of carbon fiber, is surrounded by two 150 meters long airships. To store helium gas, these two flying balloons are separated into hives. Imagine it as a superyacht that is equipped with two LTAs that can carry it to the skies.

The Air Yacht should "fly" for up to 48 hours at a top speed of 60 knots (111km/ h) thanks the compressed helium. Additionally, the cruiser has eight electric engines that rotate counterclockwise and are fueled by small, light batteries and solar panels. With this configuration, the yacht may cruise at 5 knots without making any noise or causing any pollution.

The studio stated: "With the Air Yacht, our method is to cruise the skies without emissions harming the future." Green or nothing!

Lazzarini guarantees that the boat will include all the amenities found in a standard luxury yacht. The main stateroom, which has a spacious bathroom and expansive panoramic views, is located in the center of the hull along with a huge dining area, living room, and other rooms. To top it all off, this vessel has a rooftop pool and helipad!

The two accompanying airships, on the other hand, have five ensuite bedrooms apiece, each with a large window to take in the views as you fly, and they may be reached by four different bridges

It's for a private owner who want both an advancement in aviation and a superyacht. It will remain an idea until someone decides to make it a reality, just like all of Lazzarini's masterpieces, from the swan shaped mega yacht to the 276 foot superyacht with a large hole in the superstructure.

The US based airship industry veteran AEROS has joined the fray to create its own sky yacht, which is inspired by the UFO, a common US fantasy reimagined as an LTA design.

They have already received 15 pre orders since they are less exotic and cost 10% of the price of the Italian master (who will certainly find his unique client in due course) and are more realistic in their prospective production.

This flying yacht has an adaptable design that allows for the distribution of both private and public spaces, making it the ideal vehicle for the discerning traveler seeking something novel and especially environmentally friendly in comparison to his or her CO2 emitting business jet buddies.

CARGO LOGISTICS, A NATURAL!

Now we're getting down to business: cargo logistics in hard to reach places, like this illustration of a wind farm delivery in a mountainous region.

Unexpectedly, an American competitor and a French company called Flying Whales are sharing this new market. The French company has recently received the backing of 12 million euros from the government and financial sector.

Both adhere to the same creed: point to point air cargo transportation with live 60-ton loading and unloading of large or awkward items.

The demand for affordable, sustainable transportation to remote locations is growing as the market for renewable energy does so quickly.

For sustainable special freight transportation in populated or isolated places, civil engineering and construction companies must overcome enormous obstacles. For example, given that the logistics of providing humanitarian relief frequently present a significant problem, it can aid in maximizing operations for significant volumes like in this example below the drop of three containers with a total of 60 tons of medical aid and food essentials.

This thanks to the huge size of the transport, some 200 meters long and 50 meters high.

Modular hospitals that are erected on location after being delivered by truck have long been a concept. The innovation is the 90m x 7m x 5m hospital that is hauled and delivered in one piece using winches and the hold. Without touching down, deliveries are made while hovering.

HIGH ALTITUDE PLATFORMS (HAPS) ARE THE REAL DEAL

There is always a core of innovative individuals working against the mainstream in every major organization. Imagine yourself in the year 2016, arguing in favor of a lighter than air project before experts in space travel who were more interested in deep space exploration and a NASA back to the moon mission. You can imagine the mocking looks!

How did that core of innovative individuals dare to reinvent a 236 years old story? Seriously!

Well, they swallowed their pride for six years even though they were aware that the French Army was a powerful ally in support of this program.

And deftly they reached a formal agreement for the signing of a European wide initiative funded by the EU in June 2022. In a classic odd turn of events, every critic’s voice turned positive.

High altitude platforms (HAPS), or pseudo satellites, are unmanned craft with adequate endurance to perform long term services but avoid interfering with the height of present commercial aircraft at an altitude of 10 km.

HAPS, like their LTS cousins, are lifted with helium and powered by solar energy at their 20 km high station-keeping position. An example in the lower stratosphere, where winds are moderate and air density is still enough to support buoyancy, is Stratobus by Thales, 140 m long and 32 m wide.

Under ideal circumstances, HAPS will accommodate payloads weighing 250–450 kg for a variety of military and defense intelligence activities. It will carry out a variety of tasks to support navigation, observation, telecommunications, surveillance, and the provision of information to soldiers in operational theaters. It will be able to support regional navies in patrolling responsibilities and long term border monitoring, as well as offer surveillance in a variety of fields, including maritime, terrestrial, environmental, and scientific.

It will have a ring around it that will enable it to spin to face the sun at all times, with a gas storage capacity of up to 60,000m3. This is enough for a five year lifetime in the stratosphere, with the capacity of flying missions on its own for up to a year.

The HAPS is designed to be fueled by solar energy and green technologies in order to have a low carbon footprint; it will include a solar concentrator on the top and a reversible fuel cell that will provide onboard energy.

Due to the fuel cell's ability to store energy, the platform will be able to operate nonstop during the night. Two electric motors will be mounted on either side of the airship. Batteries will power the motors at night, and solar panels will power it and charge them during the day.

In order to maximize the use of solar energy, the Gondola movement system, which allows the airship to rotate along its longitudinal axis, will be fitted. After a long wait, Thales has now became the consortium leader of 21 companies that will work on the European HAPS fund (worth EUR 120 140 million) that starts in January 2023 with the possibly the choice of a “stratoport” in the Canarias https://youtu.be/zb5G_J6faqk

In the consortium 21 companies, 19 European nations are represented. The companies include small and medium sized, highly specialized businesses alongside the larger Thales group. One of them is a multi-disciplined innovative company from Germany, the Stuttgart-based TAO group (an acronym for trans atmospheric operations), which is credited with creating the first operational HAPS concept.

Early in 2001, a brilliant professor, Dr. Bernd Kroeplin, was dissatisfied with the usual model for LTAs and rewrote the tale completely.

His fundamental concerns were maneuverability at high altitudes in the absence of wind and, more crucially, how to ascend to the stratosphere despite the interruptions of high winds with the assurance of a smooth, controllable ride up. He worked relentlessly against the grain and created a multi-segment LTA. Undoubtedly inspired by several earth species that have a persistence of movement, he purportedly called it “Skydragon”.

They were invited to participate by Thales Europe – the HAPS leader – which was eager to use the steady innovation that this brilliant HAPS pioneer would be able to bring to the table. Their first home flight was in 2011 and you can see the 70 meters long size at real scale in their own hangar in an uninhabited part of north Scotland that was appropriate for testing.

TAO’s goal is to be part of key innovation projects on 5G and the upcoming 6G generation of wireless networks, along with enhancing ground level communications using HAPS. HAPS to Ground and HAPS to Air

communications are anticipated to be robust in terms of data collecting and computing provided, given HAPS quasi static location above the stratosphere, important given the pleasant weather and consistent low wind speed characteristic of the stratospheric layer. https://www.tao-innovations.com/wpcontent/uploads/2020/05/skydragon-video.mp4

The first obvious potential area that TAO is concentrating on is a cloud-enabled HAPS in the context of civil telecommunications applications and services, leaving the defense domain to Thales' expertise. HAPS is effectively adapted to develop super macro base stations and flying data centers.

For the purpose of achieving the full capabilities of HAPS, there are problems that must be overcome that involve high energy, processing power quality of service, and security considerations. HAPS must evaluate security AI based allocations and blockchain machine learning in order to reach maturity. No worry – nothing particularly frightens these clever German engineers!

COMFORTABLE STRATOSPHERIC TRAVEL

A 2021 survey found that 40% of those asked believed space flight to be too risky, with others concerned about the price and environmental effects.

The two companies of Space Perspective (USA) and EOSX (Spain) propose to use high-altitude LTAs to carry passengers into "space". They claim that there is now a choice that allays all those concerns.

Although LTA actuallytravelsl less than half the altitude (30–35 km) needed to reach the definition of space according to technical standards (the Karman line space boundary is set at 100 km), this is still over three times the altitude of the majority of commercial flights (10 km) and high enough to observe the Earth's curvature.

The rides are extremely peaceful in comparison to a bone jarring rocket launch. In order to encourage daring space travelers, there are no face hugging "high Gs," no training is necessary, and flights don't emit carbon dioxide.

The six hour flights will be powered by hydrogen. (I can already see eyebrows rising and memories of the famous picture of the tragic Hindenburg zeppelin. But look at the hydrogen Vs helium chapter!)

Image from Space perspective Check EOS video https://www.eosxspace.com/

Eight guests will be transported at a time to an altitude of 31 km high, for a $125,000 ticket ride views of the globe Earth.

And you will undoubtedly say, copying every shuttle ISS astronaut, Mother Earth is so lovely: why do we destroy it? Everyone who is riding up there will experience it as an automatic reaction.

This will be affordable compared to the $28 million and $450,000 price tags for an 11 minute space ride by Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic, respectively.

No space pressure suit, no terrifying rocket start noise. Trips will be at a bicycle speed of 20 km/h.

Stratosphere (a more appropriate term than space) tourists will be able to get out of their recliner chairs along the journey, have breakfast, order drinks from a bar, and mingle with the pilot, who will likely serve as the tour guide.

Onboard Wi Fi will enable Instagramming and live streaming of the flights. And yes, if you drink too many cheering cocktails there is a restroom as well!

STRATOSPHERIC THRILLS ANYONE?

STRATOGLIGHT (France) is the first company to offer its customers the singular experience of a “balcony” out onto space on a voyage to the stratosphere under an LTA.

The large windowed capsule can accommodate two pilots and four passengers. The main feature is the balcony at the back, from which two passengers can view the planet and outer space from a distinctive vantage point with the help of one pilot.

Don’t miss the video :https://youtu.be/GHuCkSoP634

A sizable portion of the materials for the capsule's construction will be made of bio source technological composites like bamboo in an effort to lessen the capsule's environmental impact. The first flights are slated for 2025, and reservations will open in 2023.

Personally, I would sacrifice anything to put on a real pressure space suit, and guess where they are coming from? The space jump leap pioneers,

You will wear them with confidence as they have been rigorously tested by three mad-dash super guys, but if you have to use them, you risk falling to Earth at a supersonic speed in just 14 minutes!

If this occurs, you will return home quickly as a superhero rather than a tourist wailing and lamenting climate change from an incredibly plush seat. The promised return is a totally safe landing, but I wouldn’t suggest asking for confirmation: the French like risky bets and they may challenge you!

Don’t miss this video https://youtu.be/FHtvDA0W34I

Smooth way up and very soft landng under parafoil

CONCLUSION

Industries across the world are engaged in a lot of "greenwashing" to show that they are acting quickly while concealing the fact that they were seriously polluting the environment (not least with the friendly support of government initiatives).

By chance, a brand new industry is currently undergoing a complete resurgence. Lighter than air aircraft are inherently eco friendly thanks to their use of solar, hydrogen, and helium for lift and propulsion.

The argument shocks everyone who is just taking it in. How was it possible for us to ignore a transportation system that was obviously good for the environment for such a long time?

Well, mostly because they have never been successful in obtaining sufficient finance that was both in significant enough sums and was long term sustainable.

The LTA “gang” was seen as a collection of genius lunatics, full of fantasy and dreams, but with their feet in the air, not on solid ground.

This was somewhat accurate because for a long time they maintained their opposition to the highly technical Silicon Valley nerds opposing them, who were talking about the Metaverse and distant space travel.

The LTA gang approached things modestly, saying that they should first safely and cleanly enter the atmosphere, and then aim for a stratosphere target in the 20 30 km range.

And that is now the overall success across the board!

After being made fun of by savvy technologists, they are now in vogue due to their abundance of green assets and reasonable prices, which perfectly complement the future of our world economy.

Size readjustment, adapted restrictions, controlled spending, and smart management of energy assets is the effective path to follow ahead if we want to protect our planet for future generations.

From now on, without a doubt, LTA’s will be part of green solutions to Net Zero!

Let’s head out! We are back to the front finally!

DARING INVESTORS SECTION

Friendly disclaimer warning

The following personal recommendations are not advice to buy the stock at the moment of your reading.

Stock market trading is a discipline and determining the right timing to move in/out is an art.

The comments and the list of companies are essentially friendly recommendations for you to follow these promising companies and check carefully when to step in at the right moment for you.

THE CASE FOR INVESTING IN THE HELIUM INDUSTRY

Although helium is the second most prevalent element in the universe, there have recently been some (thankfully baseless) worries that there won't be enough of it to power MRI machines, magnetic rail lines, and the rebirth of the LTA sector. However, with the recent discovery of more than a trillion liters of helium gas in a previously unknown reservoir buried under Tanzania, the known reserves of helium throughout the world have increased.

But where does helium come from? Helium is formed by the radioactive decay of materials like uranium and thorium over millions of years. It is gathered underground or collected in the mix of oil and gas drilling in particular.

Because helium is so light, it can readily escape from our atmosphere. It is also an inert gas, which means it won't combine with other substances to form particles that will remain in the atmosphere.

At a temperature of 269 °C, helium becomes a liquid. This extremely low temperature makes it possible to create superconductors, which allow us to move large electrical currents through substances. This is employed in both quantum computing and other applications, such as helping to create the magnetic field in an MRI machine, with helium used by the approximately 36,000 MRI machines in use worldwide.

One of the fastest trains in the world, the Maglev fast train in Shanghai, uses superconductors to generate a powerful magnetic field that causes the train to hover and allows it to move at speeds of more than 400 km/h. I bet you didn't realize helium was part of it!

It is also integrated as a gas in the fabrication of optical fibers, which power the world's high speed internet connections.

The need for helium is growing as a result of developments in technology and science. And since helium is increasingly needed for scientific purposes, people are actively searching for it underground rather than just obtaining it as a byproduct of oil and gas.

In order to decrease the amount of helium lost into the environment, it is now common to recover it after usage and recapture it via membrane enabling previously utilized helium to be liquefied once more. So, in which companies to invest?

Air Liquide (France) and Linde (Gemany) are two giant conservative groups that are the bigger players in this field.

At Ras Laffan Industrial City in Qatar, Air Liquide has just begun operating the largest helium purification and liquefaction unit in the world. The new unit has a yearly helium production capability of about 58 million cubic meters.

Helium is purified and liquefied by Air Liquide using advanced, proprietary processes at a very low temperature ( 269°C). The liquefaction apparatus is the biggest in the world, measuring 20 meters long and over 8 meters high. This new unit and the existing plant at this location will be able to create 25%of the helium now produced globally, placing Qatar as the second-largest producer in the world (USA is the no

Air Liquide will purchase 50% of the helium quantities produced by this new unit and the old one under a long term arrangement with RasGas and Qatargas. The Group will be one of the primary players in the global helium market thanks to access to this important helium supply.

Stock market ticker AI:FP. Check market information at: The Air Liquide share | Air Liquide

AI Stock Price | Air Liquide S.A. Stock Quote (France: Euronext Paris) | MarketWatch

Air Liquide SA Company Profile and News Bloomberg Markets

Second, is LINDE – a big player in multiple industrial gases as well as helium, under NYSE Ticker LIN.

LTA

S RENAISSANCE IS AN INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY

The freight and passenger LTA sector is now about to take off after decades of disappointment.

Transport and cargo logistics LTAs will experience increasing demand in a wide range of both existing and new sectors after the initial investment barrier is overcome.

Because of the size of the market, there will be rivalry, but there will also be many possibilities for early stage investors to focus on particular sector niches and yet see enough demand to pay for the costs and generate large profits.

Being optimistic, when technology reaches its peak, freight LTAs could transport products at a per-ton-mile cost that is about equivalent to long-distance trucking. Electric airships would be substantially less expensive and emit no carbon dioxide, albeit being slower than freight jets. These considerations allow for some valid conclusions to be drawn about the need and role for freight airships globally. At truck competitive pricing, the market for cargo airships ought to be greater than 140 billion ton-miles annually, capturing the majority of air freight.

Today, the most promising LTA company is Flying Whales (France) for the cargo sector. HAV (UK) has taken the lead in passenger transport but neither are publicly quoted (yet), so it’s worth keeping an eye out for IPOs that will certainly happen.

The only conservative and safe bet with a solid foot in the LTA sector is THALES (France), which you just read about under the European HAPS consortium that is starting in Q1 2023.

Electrical systems for aircraft and the military are designed and constructed by Thales. In addition to providing telecommunications satellites, signaling systems, flight deck systems, avionics equipment, and navigation solutions, the company also offers air traffic control and maintenance services and provides services to the global aviation, space, transportation, defense, and security markets.

Check all the market information: stock market ticker HO:FP.

THALES : Stock Market News and Information | HO| FR0000121329 | MarketScreener

THLEF Stock Price | Thales S.A. Stock Quote (U.S.: OTC) | MarketWatch

HO: Thales SA Stock Price Quote EN Paris Bloomberg

SOURCES & PUBLICATIONS PROGRAM

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Published in 2021

Chronicle 1 : Quantum Computing

Chronicle 2 : Space Exploration

Chronicle 3 : Artificial Intelligence Chronicle 4 : Hydrogen Energy

Chronicle 5 : Genomics Chronicle 6 : Neuroscience Chronicle 7 : Nuclear Energy Chronicle 8 : Laser Communications

Published in 2022

Chronicle 09 : Mega Solar Power Chronicle 10 : Ocean 1.0

Chronicle 11 : Geo Energy Chronicle 12 : The Orbital Dash

Chronicle 13 : Back to the Moon

Chronicle 14 : Robotics 6.0

Chronicle 15 : Quantum Computing Paradigm Shift

Chronicle 16 : Food Future

Chronicle 17 : Lighter Than Air

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Chronicle 18 : Longevity

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Chronicle 19: Energy Reality Check Chronicle 20: Space Race 2.0 Chronicle 21: AI Fast Progress Chronicle 22: Wearables Chronicle 23: The Future of Aviation Chronicle 24: Hydrogen 3.0 Chronicle 25: Genomics Chronicle 26: Water tech Chronicle 27: Waste to Energy Chronicle 28: Energy storage 4.0

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