From the S&S archives: Exploring the upper atmosphere

In man's unending search to do something about the weather, the Air Force has extended its operations to include a project dubbed Moby Dick. The AF is launching huge plastic balloons in a worldwide program of research into all types of weather phenomena encountered at high altitudes. Recently 32 of these 200-foot-high plastic bags were sent aloft at Giebelstadt, Germany, by the AF's 1110th Air Support Group — the only one of its kind in Europe. The gondola is crammed with meteorological instruments to probe the upper atmosphere, and can be parachuted to the ground if the balloons fail to reach the "cruising altitude" of 30,000 feet. The balloons are inflated with hydrogen gas and soon after release they reach the desired altitude. More than 4,000 of these plastic bags have been released by AF researchers and some have. reached altitudes of 100,000 feet.

An Air Force crew mans the hydrogen line in preparation for inflating a balloon at Giebelstadt, Germany.

Crewmen prepare the intake valve.

The balloon slowly begins to take shape.

Crewmen wearing asbestos masks amid the flammable hydrogen guide the balloon's folds over the launching vehicle.

A parachute is folded before the balloon is sent aloft.

Attached to the balloon is a parachute which will bring the gondola containing the instruments safely to earth if anything goes wrong.

Inflation completed, the launching vehicle is towed from the site.

Balloons are set to cruise at an altitude of 30,000 feet.

Not all the balloons end up in the higher reaches of the atmosphere.

Taped to the balloon's instrument compartment is a message in several languages.

The English message on the instrument package.