World Surveillance Group Inc (fka WSGI)

[No Fear No Greed]

Thoughts about Proton (summit attendee)

They have an interesting product line which includes fuel cells and hydrogen generators:

http://www.protonenergy.com/index.php/html/companyinfo/products/index.html

My first thought was that the Stratellite might take advantage of Proton's UNIGEN fuel cell systems, which "have the potential to capture, store and release electrical energy more cost effectively and efficiently than batteries or other alternatives."

But then I got to thinking about hydrogen generators, and how such a system just might be a potential solution to the "lost gas" problem.

"Proton's HOGEN hydrogen generators make high purity, process pressure hydrogen from water and electricity for diverse uses in semiconductors, metallurgy, electrical generator cooling, meteorology and fuel cell applications."

While the main ingredient in the "proprietary lifting gas" to be used in the Stratellite will surely be helium, perhaps they have found a way to suplement the mix with hydrogen during extended 18-month flights. Think about it - the necessary ingredients are water and electricity. We know they will have a good supply of electricity in the form of photovoltaic (solar) energy, and there may be enough water even in the stratosphere which could be condensed and used as the raw material to produce relatively small amounts of hydrogen (can anyone confirm this? I know there are no clouds 13 miles up, but I would think there is still a modest amount of moisture even at that altitude...)

Just thinking out loud about the lost-gas issue and possible solution. Comments and/or criticisms would be welcome.