Fligllt 6~z Released from Alamogordo, New Mexico, 1116 MST, Kay 13, 1948
Descended at Alamogorde, New Mexico
On thie flight: a Seyi'ang X..boratories balloon, made of neoprene-coated
nylon, was flown with a valve in the appendix set to open after an internal
preesure of 0.02 psi was built up. On an earlier flight (59) such a bal-
loon wa.s flown with no valve but an appendix held closed w11h a rubber
banda it ruptured upon beooming.i'ull.
Both a constant ballast-flow orifice and an automatic ballast control
were used to keep this balloon buoyant. In addition to the ballaet, a
surplus of buoyancy might have been acquired when. super 'Pressure wai built
up inside the cell. Despite these controls, the ballom began to descend
after a short period ot tloating, and its descent was not checked (Figure 24).
RELEASED liT ALAMOICIIIOO,N.M
· MAY 11- ... -maMSt
-;--h,__+-1 REcow!IIEDIIr MAYNILL,N.M.
MAY ··---11141MSI:
TINr(MST.)
1100 lila 1110 IMI 11110 M .IUO 11411 1!00 1111 15!0 13411
Figure 24
An analysis of the acceleration which could be gained from a loss of super-
heat indicated that if the coated fabric had absorbed radiation and gained
60°C crver t,Jle outside air, the superheat thus obtained would be so great
that its subsequent rapid loss (as by ventilation) could not be compenu.ted
for even with the be:'llast flowing at full rate. To improve the analysie
of balloon flights, a measure of the temperature difference between lifting
gas and air temperature was suggested.
-32-