TABLE VII
SUMMARY OF NYU CONSTANT-LEVEL BALLOON FLIGHTS
FLIGHT NUMBER
DATE AND RELEASE TIME
LAUNCHING SITE
DESCRIPTION OF BALLOONS
BALLOON WEIGHT
DESCRIPTION OF ALTIMETER CONTROL
TOTAL WEIGHT IN BALLOON INCLUDING BALLAST
BALLAST WEIGHT
FREE LIFT
BALLOON LIFT
RADIOSONDE RECEPTION %
TRACKING %
AIRCRAFT OBSERVATION %
FLIGHT DURATION
OPTIMUM CONSTANT LEVELS
MAXIMUM & CONSTANT LEVELS MSL
RECOVERY & LANDING SITE
CRITIQUE
19
10 Sept. 1947 0859 MST
Alamogordo New Mexico
1 H. A. Smith 15' .004" Polyethylene with 10 load points
6.3 kg
Data gear Ballast release
13.2 kg
2.4 kg
2.3 kg
15.5 kg
100%
Theodolite 100% SCH-658 100%
Used on search for grounded gear
20 min.
None
--
100% Alamogordo
Premature activation of burnoff baroswitch, caused by jerking in high surface wind. Hole blown in balloon after ascent of 200 feet. Balloon descended slowly, landing 2 miles away. Excellent demonstration of blowout patch and that only. Two hour delay switch needed in burnout circuit.
20
10 Sept. 1947 1306 MST
Alamogordo New Mexico
1 General Mills 20' .001" Polyethylene 2' appendix with battens outside shrouds
4.1 kg
397 mc Radiosonde Ballast assembly
9.0 kg
4.7 kg
1.5 kg
10.5 kg
235 min.
Theodolite 145 min. SCH-658 235 min.
Not required data not essential
Over 235 min.
30 min. ± 1000'
Max. 56400' Const. 56000'
0%
Successful upwind release (GM type). Successful appendix design shown. Need of automatic ballast valve demonstrated as high fixed rate of ballast leak did not keep ball on floating after reaching ceiling.
21
12 Sept. 1947 0716 MST
Alamogordo New Mexico
1 General Mills 20' .001" Polyethylene 2' appendix with battens outside shrouds
4.1 kg
Data gear Banner Ballast assembly
12.8 kg
5.0 kg
0.2 kg
13.0 kg
Not provided for
Theodolite 57 min.
Not available
About 600 min.
No data
Max. 58000' Estimated
100% Marietta, Ohio, 535 mi.
Flight for Watson. No pressure reporting gear due to weight limitations. Very successful flight due to improved low leakage General Mills balloon, in spite of complete desanding of ballast release on launching. Low initial ascent observed. Descent observed by finder.
22
12 Sept. 1947 0538 MST
Alamogordo New Mexico
1 General Mills 20' .001" Polyethylene 2' appendix with battens outside shrouds
4.1 kg
Data gear Banner Ballast assembly
12.8 kg
4.8 kg
1.1 kg
13.9 kg
Not provided for
Theodolite 57 min. 10%
1 hour Balloon climbed range of plane
About 382 min.
No data
Max. 54000' Estimated
100% Carlsbad, New Mexico, 105 mi.
Flight for Watson. No pressure reporting gear due to weight limitations. Successful flight. Old style balloon had high leakage because kept in air due to automatic ballast release. Descent observed by finder.
23
12 Sept. 1947 0918 MST
Alamogordo New Mexico
1 shrouded Dewey & Almy
6.0 kg
397 mc Radiosonde Ballast, ballast assembly
9.8 kg
3.1 kg
0.97 kg
10.8 kg
125 min.
Theodolite 125 min. SCH-658 125 min.
Not required Only L-5 available
Over 125 min.
20 min. ± 1000'
Max. 50700' Const. 50000'
0%
Foot ropes of shrouded balloon believed to have tangled, pulling out balloon valve. Uncertain performance. Perhaps the neoprene balloon burst inside of shroud due to friction.
24
13 Sept. 1947 0551 MST
Alamogordo New Mexico
1 General Mills 20' .001" Polyethylene 2' appendix with battens, outside shrouds
4.1 kg
3 mc transmitter, banner, ballast assembly
12.7 kg
3.2 kg
1.1 kg
13.8 kg
394 min.
Theodolite 230 min.
Middle 2 hours
Over 394 min.
122 min. ± 1000'
Max. Unknown Const. 43000'
Graham, Texas 440 mi.
Radiosonde modulator defective. Good balloon climbed to its rising ceiling and remained there until transmitter failed.
25
15 Sept. 1947 0607 MST
Alamogordo New Mexico
11 Meteorological Balloons 350 gm each
3.9 kg
Data gear Banner
7.3 kg
None
1.8 kg
9.3 kg
210 min.
Theodolite 73 min. RCA-658 210 min.
Not required
Over 210 min.
20 min. ± 1000'
Max. Unknown Const. 27000'
0%
Cluster of meteorological balloons for Watson. No altitude control or radiosonde provided.
26
15 Sept. 1947 1002 MST
Alamogordo New Mexico
1 General Mills 20' .001" Polyethylene 2' appendix with battens outside shrouds
4.2 kg
3 mc transmitter, banner, ballast assembly
13.6 kg
5.0 kg
0.2 kg
13.8 kg
508 min.
Theodolite 94 min.
2 hours
Over 508 min.
Unknown
Unknown
Ozona, Texas 325 mi.
Operational flight for NYU transmitter test. Pressure data which was received proved to be incorrect when gear was recovered.