US poised to unleash stadium-sized sandwich bag

Helium

Wasn't there something in the news a couple of years back about helium stocks being run down with nobody doing whatever one does to replenish them?

I'm sure NASA can get their hands on the good stuff, but that could be a longer-term problem. I know the stuff we bought in UAE was so heavily cut with other gases that it could barely float a balloon.

So it begins...

So NASA will also stand for "National AirShip Agency"? These are heady times indeed.

I hope the balloon doesn't go through a swarm of birds and break. On the other hand, a bunch of birds sounding like Donald Duck could be hilarious.

Shortage

There shouldn't be a shortage of Helium, particularly with the shale gas revolution. Helium is present from the radioactive decay of Uranium (Alpha radiation = Helium nuclei). Extraction is simple, just freeze until the Helium is left behind. All it costs is money. If the price was right, it would be done. Presumably, it isn't.

when fully engorged with helium, or put another way is "big enough to encompass a football stadium".

That would be a stadium filled with very high-pitched cheers.

Big waste of Helium

Helium's too expensive. Hydrogen would be better, although I'm partial to acetylene myself.