Abstract
THE National Geographic Society, Washington, D.C., is co-operating with the U.S. Army Air Corps and other donors in a new ascent to the stratosphere to be made this month. According to the National Geographic Magazine of April, the balloon to be used will have a capacity of 3,000,000 cubic feet, and will be manned by Maj. William E. Kepner and Capt. Albert W. Stevens. The balloon fabric is of cotton impregnated with rubber, and the spherical gondola, which is made of a magnesium-aluminium alloy, is 8 ft. 4 in. in diameter. The total weight to be raised, including balloon, gondola, equipment and crew, is nearly eight tons. It is estimated that when the balloon rises from the earth partly inflated, the top will be 295 ft. from the ground; at its ‘ceiling’, the balloon will be a sphere 180 ft. in diameter. Hydrogen is to be used for inflating it. The gas valve in the top of the balloon will be operated from the gondola by compressed air. The programme of scientific work includes the collection of samples of the atmosphere of the stratosphere, determination of electric gradient, observations of cosmic rays and of ozone content and photography at great heights. According to the Brussels correspondent of the Times, Dr. Max Cosyns, who accompanied Prof. Piccard on his second ascent to the stratosphere, has completed his preparations for a new ascent (NATURE, Nov. 25, 1933, p. 812). The gondola of the Belgian balloon has been constructed of aluminium.
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Preparations for New Ascents into the Stratosphere. Nature 133, 863 (1934). https://doi.org/10.1038/133863a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/133863a0