xxi
photos and video for streaming to your customers and prospects. KFC has already
sent their new Zinger sandwich up to 30 km (100,000 ft). While many students are
learning about science and launching their simple experiments to the stratosphere,
others have seen the financial potential and have started businesses to launch your
favorite photos or possessions and take a picture of them with the curvature of the
Earth in the background as a prized possession for only $X. It will be interesting
to watch the explosion of commercial applications for stratospheric balloons.
This book will discuss these scientific and commercial balloon flights from
sites all across the world. It includes explanations of the many types of balloons,
their applications, launch locations, and the companies that produce them.
Included is NASA’s Balloon Program and their launch capabilities and facilities.
There is also a list of the international organizations and their balloon programs.
Also included is a partial list of balloon flights that have made contributions to
unique scientific discoveries, as well as what numerous scientific organizations,
including NASA, have contributed to the history of ballooning.
One of the major focuses of the book is the role student’s play in ballooning and
the importance of keeping them interested in studying the sciences, technology,
engineering and mathematics. There are literally thousands of students – of all
ages – actively involved today in launching balloons and learning from those
experiences. Many schools and universities have balloon education programs with
hands-on experience. Similarly, corporations actively involved in ballooning have
education programs at their home offices. These activities feature in the chapter
entitled “Educating the Next Generation”. It is to be hoped this book will inspire
students to stay involved in ballooning, for they truly are the next generation of
scientists and engineers that will explore the world and the universe beyond. The
book gives interesting topics to study and includes over 100 images, many hours
of videos, and references to the literature.
Three Nobel Prize winners and other internationally renowned scientists spent
their early careers using balloons to carry their instruments into the stratosphere.
Along the way, young graduate and postgraduate students assisted their principal
investigators and fellow scientists in conducting experiments. They now carry the
torch that lights the path to new discoveries of the 21st century.
It is hoped that this book will contribute to young people’s interest in ballooning and inspire them to study the sciences, technology, engineering and mathematics subjects that are essential for many careers.
Cedar Park, TX, USA
Manfred “ Dutch” von Ehrenfried
Winter of 2020-2021
Preface
photos and video for streaming to your customers and prospects. KFC has already
sent their new Zinger sandwich up to 30 km (100,000 ft). While many students are
learning about science and launching their simple experiments to the stratosphere,
others have seen the financial potential and have started businesses to launch your
favorite photos or possessions and take a picture of them with the curvature of the
Earth in the background as a prized possession for only $X. It will be interesting
to watch the explosion of commercial applications for stratospheric balloons.
This book will discuss these scientific and commercial balloon flights from
sites all across the world. It includes explanations of the many types of balloons,
their applications, launch locations, and the companies that produce them.
Included is NASA’s Balloon Program and their launch capabilities and facilities.
There is also a list of the international organizations and their balloon programs.
Also included is a partial list of balloon flights that have made contributions to
unique scientific discoveries, as well as what numerous scientific organizations,
including NASA, have contributed to the history of ballooning.
One of the major focuses of the book is the role student’s play in ballooning and
the importance of keeping them interested in studying the sciences, technology,
engineering and mathematics. There are literally thousands of students – of all
ages – actively involved today in launching balloons and learning from those
experiences. Many schools and universities have balloon education programs with
hands-on experience. Similarly, corporations actively involved in ballooning have
education programs at their home offices. These activities feature in the chapter
entitled “Educating the Next Generation”. It is to be hoped this book will inspire
students to stay involved in ballooning, for they truly are the next generation of
scientists and engineers that will explore the world and the universe beyond. The
book gives interesting topics to study and includes over 100 images, many hours
of videos, and references to the literature.
Three Nobel Prize winners and other internationally renowned scientists spent
their early careers using balloons to carry their instruments into the stratosphere.
Along the way, young graduate and postgraduate students assisted their principal
investigators and fellow scientists in conducting experiments. They now carry the
torch that lights the path to new discoveries of the 21st century.
It is hoped that this book will contribute to young people’s interest in ballooning and inspire them to study the sciences, technology, engineering and mathematics subjects that are essential for many careers.
Cedar Park, TX, USA
Manfred “ Dutch” von Ehrenfried
Winter of 2020-2021
Preface