AirShip Technologies Group

Solar Fabric could serve as AirShip's exterior covering source and is considered green house gas friendly.  Thin-film photovoltaic (PV) materials and modules could be used to generate the electrical power to help propel the vehicle or as an additional power source for onboard electronics. Thin film photovoltaic power offers unique advantages over earlier solar cell product generations and other comparable technologies in the marketplace.  For example, Ascent Solar manufactures solar fabric in large roll formats at the module level using a proprietary monolithic laser-patterned cell integration process that enables individual solar cells to be interconnected during production. This innovation eliminates the time-intensive cell to cell connections and assembly operations required with other technologies to build up modules.

Modules are produced on durable, light weight plastic in contrast to first generation products on metal foils that were developed over 12 years ago. The plastic substrate materials result in extremely high specific power levels, compactness and flexibility that enable the products to be configured into a wide variety of rolls, foldable packs, or traditional module formats.  The roll formats could allow for direct integration into the external skin covering for the AirShip and significantly reduce the number of modules required for a typical application.

GM Sunraycer solar car

Made in 1987 from General Motors Corporation.  General Motors, GM Hughes Electronics, Aerodynamics Inc and more than a dozen other GM divisions and suppliers developed this vehicle.  It won the 1,950-mile World Solar Challenge in 1987, finishing more than 620 miles ahead of the nearest competitor.  After the Sunraycer won the race, GM sent it on the road to events to garner publicity for the company.  GM also created teaching materials for schools that focused on the Sunraycer.

Physical Description 19'9" long, 6'7" wide, 3'8" high. 390 pounds. Seats one person.