The BLAST high altitude balloon just before launch on June 12, 2005

High altitude balloons are unmanned balloons, usually filled with helium, that are released into the upper atmosphere, generally reaching between 60,000 and 120,000 feet (18,000 - 36,500m). The Balloon-borne Large Aperture Submillimeter Telescope ( BLAST) is a submillimeter Telescope that hangs from a High altitude balloon. A balloon is a flexible bag filled with a type of Gas, such as Helium, Hydrogen, Nitrous oxide or air. Helium ( He) is a colorless odorless tasteless non-toxic Inert Monatomic Chemical Temperature and layers The temperature of the Earth's atmosphere varies with altitude the mathematical relationship between temperature and altitude varies among five A foot (plural feet or foot; symbol or abbreviation ft or sometimes &prime – the prime symbol) is a non-SI unit

The most common type of high altitude balloon are weather balloons, although there are many other purposes to which such balloons can be put. A weather or sounding balloon is a Balloon (specifically a type of High altitude balloon) which carries instruments aloft to send back information Many scientific groups and universities use them to conduct experiments in the upper atmosphere, and modern balloons generally contain electronic equipment such as radio transmitters, cameras, and sometimes a satellite navigation system, such as GPS. For biologic transmitters see Transmitter substance. A transmitter is an electronic device which usually with the aid of an antenna A camera is a device used to capture images either as still Photographs or as sequences of moving images ( Movies or Videos. Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS is the standard generic term for satellite navigation systems that provide autonomous geo-spatial positioning with global coverage Basic concept of GPS operation A GPS receiver calculates its position by carefully timing the signals sent by the constellation of GPS Satellites high above the Earth

These balloons are launched into what is termed "near space" - the area of Earth's atmosphere where there is very little air, but which is not high enough to be in the realm of satellites. Near space is the region of Earth's atmosphere that lies between 65000 and 325000-350000 feet (20 to 100km above Sea level, above where a commercial Airliner Temperature and layers The temperature of the Earth's atmosphere varies with altitude the mathematical relationship between temperature and altitude varies among five This article is about artificial satellites For natural satellites also known as moons see Natural satellite.

A seasonal vortex in Antarctica allows balloons to be recovered very close to their launch site, making it a popular location for balloon-based research.

Due to the low cost of GPS and communications equipment, high altitude ballooning is an emerging hobby. ^[1]

See also

• Altitude sickness
• High-altitude airship
• Manned balloon altitude records
• Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility

External links

• HALO - High ALtitude Object
• Cambridge University Spaceflight
• Near Space Ventures - Kansas City, MO
• Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility
• Iowa State University - High Altitude Balloon Experiments in Technology
• US Centennial of Flight essay on balloons as forerunners to space travel
• E.N.S.U.R.E.1 Electronic Near-Space Utility for Recovery and Experimentation
• Pegasus High Altitude Balloon Project
• University of Tennessee Amateur Radio Club - Balloon Mission
• Arizona Near Space Research
• Cygnus High Altitude Balloon
• Stratocat - Historical recopilation project on the use of stratospheric balloons in the scientific research, the military field and the aerospace activity

References