Filling the High Altitude Balloon

October 25, 2009 | Evansville, Indiana | Vetting explained

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gkissel

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gkissel says the balloon flew about 18 miles into the air before bursting. A parachute carried it safely back to Earth -- and into a tree. The local electric company brought in a bucket truck to help students recover it.

iReport —

Filling and stabilizing a high altitude balloon with helium can be tricky when it is windy.

Here, engineering students from the University of Southern Indiana in Evansville, IN, are filling the latex balloon at the Mt. Vernon, IL Airport in preparation for launching a string of styrofoam pods containing their experimental devices and cameras.

The balloon made it to 90,000 feet, at which point it burst, after which the string of pods began its chaotic descent, eventually slowed by a parachute.

The pods, parachute and balloon remnant landed in eastern Daviess County, IN.

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