Larry Page isn't the only Google exec interesting in flight. On the heels of news about Page's startup Kitty Hawk comes a Bloomberg report about Google cofounder Sergey Brin and his secret project to build an airship.
According to four people who spoke to Bloomberg, Brin has been building an airship inside Hangar 2 at NASA's Ames Research Center. Sources report that the airship resembles a zeppelin but refused to elaborate on the details. The sources also said that this project does not fall under the Alphabet umbrella, so it may by a separate startup or simply a personal project of Brin's.
Bloomberg also reports that Alan Weston, the former director of programs at NASA Ames, is heading this project. Weston previously spoke about designing a prototype airship in a radio interview in 2013 involving breathable air sacs that could alter the buoyancy of the craft. It's unknown if this prototype is related to the Brin project.
Airships have been a goal for several companies for years. Airships can carry people and cargo much more cheaply and efficiently than planes or trucks, but engineering and cost hurdles have kept them grounded for now. But the concept of giant airships for travel or shipping still has merit. Maybe all the idea needs a passionate multi-billionaire and a novel prototype for lift off.
