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Published online 3 September 2003 | Nature | doi:10.1038/news030901-4
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Burst balloon dashes launch hopes
Last-minute postponement to QinetiQ 1 attempt on altitude record.
The latest attempt to break the manned-balloon altitude record was postponed again today, after the balloon split a seam as it was being filled with helium.
The team will assess the damage in the next few days, and decide whether they can repair and launch the balloon this summer, or whether the pilots must wait until next year to attempt their journey to the edge of space
The crew watching the QinetiQ 1 balloon inflate saw a twist in the balloon envelope as it came off its delivery drum.
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