STRATOSPHERE EXPLORATION

Evening Star, Issue 21638, 6 February 1934, Page 11

STRATOSPHERE EXPLORATION

PROJECT FOR "DIVER’S" OUTFIT That attempts will be made to surpass the Soviet balloon altitude record of twelve miles is certain, writes the aviation correspondent of the ‘ Daily Telegraph.’ There is afoot a project for substituting an “ aerial diver’s ” outfit for the closed, sealed, pressureproof cabin or sphere of Professor Piccard and other stratosphere explorers. The saving of weight by this method would undoubtedly facilitate the attainment of a greater altitude, but the ballooning part of the problem presents tremendous difficulties. Protection of the explorer against reduced pressure, cold, and diminished oxygen supply is, of course, necessary. At a height of 60,000 ft (eleven and a-half miles) a pilot in an open cockpit or balloon basket would succumb owing to the actual boiling of his blood. As is well-known, in reduced atmospheric pressure the boiling point of liquids is reduced. In point of fact, an egg cannot be properly cooked by boiling at the height of 20,000 ft. '■ If a metal suit is substituted for the closed sphere, great care must be taken that it shall not fail in any detail. By means of a balloon inflated with hydrogen, or any ather gas, it whl be extremely difficult to surpass the height attained by the Russian balloonists. The difficulties increase with increased altitude. Twenty-five miles has been suggested, but even at twenty miles the atmosphere is so rarefied that the gas expands to some ten times its normal volume at sea-level. In high-altitude ballooning the balloon is only partially inflated at the start, with the idea that at the ultimate height attained it will be quite full. In descending the gas shrinks in volume, and the balloon lands flabby. To surpass the present record height an enormous gas bag must be used, and the weight of it is not to be overlooked. Moreover, a big reserve of ballast must be taken to avert disaster at the landing. But to lift balloon basket, explorer, his special outfit, instruments, and ballast to a height of twenty miles a very much bigger balloon than any yet made would be necessary—a balloon capable of holding considerably more than 1,000,000 cubic feet of gas. In falling in a partially deflated condition it would sag up in itself and form a kind of parachute. This, in fact, has been done on many occasions. The fall would be checked, and if the basket wore provided with some sort of shock-absorber the instruments would not suffer damage. There seems to be no reason, however, why further exploration of the stratosphere should not be carried out by means of unmanned balloons carrying automatic registering instruments. Much Jins been done by this means, and the heights attained have already exceeded that of the Soviet balloon.