What is the purpose of a high-altitude balloon?

Uses. Uncrewed high-altitude balloons are used as research balloons, for educational purposes, and by hobbyists. Common uses include meteorology, atmospheric and climate research, collection of imagery from near space, amateur radio applications, and submillimetre astronomy.

What happens to balloons at high-altitude?

As the balloon ascends, the pressure of its environment decreases, and the balloon begins to expand. This expansion continues until the material of the balloon is stretched to its breaking point, causing the balloon to burst. This typically occurs at stratospheric altitudes between 30 and 35 km.

What is the highest altitude a balloon can reach?

Typically though many balloons can reach between 90,000 feet (27,432 meters) and 125,000 feet (38,100 meters). Many balloons have gone above 130,000 feet, however around 130,000 to 137,000 is usually the theoretical maximum for most latex based balloons. In 2002, a balloon named BU60-1 reached an altitude of 173,900!

What are high altitude balloons made of?

polyethylene
Some heavy-payload high-altitude balloons have been made of nylon laminated to polyester film, but most research balloons use very thin polyethylene. Some of these polyethylene films are less than a tenth of a millimetre thick. In order to carry a payload, the seams are reinforced with load-bearing tape.

What is a weather balloon used for?

Weather balloons are the primary source of data above the ground. They provide valuable input for computer forecast models, local data for meteorologists to make forecasts and predict storms, and data for research.

What is the altitude of a weather balloons?

Weather balloons can rise to an altitude of 24 miles (39 kilometers) or more before they burst, and a payload may land (via parachute) up to 75 miles (120 km) away, depending on wind conditions at the launch site, Maydell said.

How do weather balloons work?

The radiosonde is powered by a small battery. A parachute, attached to the end of the balloon, allows the radiosonde to fall slowly to the ground at speeds less than 22 mph after the balloon bursts. Each radiosonde contains a mailing bag and instructions on what to do if you find one.

Why does a weather balloon pop if it goes too high?

As weather balloons travel further from the Earth’s surface, the air pressure around the balloon decreases drastically. As the air gets thinner, the balloon’s casing get tighter. This is due to the gas expanding within the balloon. The expanding gas causes the balloon to reach full capacity and it pops.

What are high-altitude balloons made of?

How long does a weather balloon stay in the air?

two hours
How long do high altitude weather balloons stay in flight? The average balloon will ascend for about 90 minutes before bursting. After the ascent is complete, the payload boxes and flight equipment will slowly fall on a parachute for around 30 minutes, giving the average flight a total duration of two hours.