Answer:
The gondola, if separated from the envelope when the blimp is aloft, would plummet right to the ground.
Explanation:
A blimp is a non-rigid airship (it has no internal framework), and it is also known as a "dirigible". It is kept aloft because of the pressure of helium (lifting gas) in the envelope and the strength the envelope does to keep its own shape.
To understand what would happen to the gondola if it became loose from the envelope while the blimp is in flight, let us revise the main blimp components:
- ENVELOPE: the blimp body has two layers, the bladder (internal) and the envelope (external). The envelope protects the bladder from punctures, for example. Inside the envelope there are cable systems called curtains that support the gondola's weight - they are attached to it. The helium internal pressure regulates the envelope's shape.
- GONDOLA: this is the blimp passenger car, and it resembles any other aircraft car. It may be internally attached to the blimp by a load curtain or to the envelope's sides from the outside. The gondola carries the blimp control and propeller pannels, temperature controls, pressure controls, the fuel radar and all the electrical systems. The crew inside the gondola can control and navigate the blimp.
If the gondola gets separated from the envelope while the blimp was in flight, what would happen is that it would come loose and plummet from the sky. The reason is that the gondola is attached to the envelope by means of cable curtains.
