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The longest haul: NASA’s balloons fly for 100 days
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The space agency’s balloons fly three times as high as an airliner
In April, NASA launched its latest scientific balloon from Wānaka Airport on New Zealand’s South Island. The ‘super pressure’ aircraft is roughly the size of a football stadium – yes, really – and is due to spend more than three months flying around the southern hemisphere’s mid-latitudes, where it will measure so-called neutral wind in the upper atmosphere. The team behind the mission hope the findings will help scientists predict changes in the ionosphere, which can affect communication and navigation systems.
Shaped like pumpkins, NASA’s balloons really are a modern engineering marvel. Because they’re completely sealed, with no open ducts, gas can’t escape, meaning pressure builds up as the gas expands. It’s this innovation that allows them to fly for far longer than traditional hot air balloons. The latest, for example, measures a frankly gigantic 18.8 million cubic feet.
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Interestingly, the super-pressure balloons are one of two variants used by the space agency. Zero-pressure balloons – typically used for short flights – are conversely open at the bottom and have open ducts hanging from the sides to allow gas to escape. This prevents pressure inside the balloon from building up during gas expansion as the it rises above Earth’s surface. Both types are made of thin plastic film, called polyethylene, which is similar to that of a plastic sandwich wrap, and inflated it using helium gas. Once fully airborne, the balloons then float at altitudes around 120,000 feet, or more than three times as high as a commercial airplanes.
The latest campaign is the sixth held in New Zealand since 2015, with two balloons successfully launched from Wānaka in 2023.
“While the mission will spend most of its time over water during its around the world journey, some land crossings will occur,” NASA said. “If weather permits, the balloon may be visible from the ground, particularly at sunrise and sunset.” If you want to track the latest, in real time, you can by putting the following link in your web browser: csbf.nasa.gov/newzealand/wanaka.htm
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