Why could an airship not be made using a vacuum instead of a lifting gas?
A quick google reveals that someone has thought of this before: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vacuum_airship and it seems like it might not be possible with currently available materials.
Would it be possible to reduce the density of helium for the same pressure by electrostatically charging it to make the molecules repel, effectively turning the airship into a giant capacitor with alternating +ve and -ve sections?
A quick google reveals that someone has thought of this before: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vacuum_airship and it seems like it might not be possible with currently available materials.
Would it be possible to reduce the density of helium for the same pressure by electrostatically charging it to make the molecules repel, effectively turning the airship into a giant capacitor with alternating +ve and -ve sections?