Launch HN: HyLight (YC S23) – Hydrogen airships to inspect energy infrastructure

Re:Launch HN: HyLight (YC S23) – Hydrogen airships to inspec... by standingconcern on Monday August 28, 2023 @04:56PM (#37300290)

Could an airship or similar (maybe over an ocean) capture atmospheric helium?

There is a shortage of Helium (and 3He and 4He for fusion), which the sun makes out of Hydrogen with heat and radiation from fusion and fission.

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Re:Launch HN: HyLight (YC S23) – Hydrogen airships to inspec... by nradov on Monday August 28, 2023 @07:17PM (#37301555)

There is no significant amount of atmospheric helium. It's not something that can captured.

Our helium supplies come from natural gas wells. In some areas the natural gas contains enough helium to be worth separating and storing.

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Re:Launch HN: HyLight (YC S23) – Hydrogen airships to inspec... by burnished on Monday August 28, 2023 @07:23PM (#37301607)

Basically no. Its very small, not very reactive, and I guess also has a tendency to escape the atmosphere and trail off into the void.

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