The Russian spaceprobes VeGa 1 and VeGa 2 abandoned two gas balloons with scientific experiments in the atmosphere of Venus, which could transmit signals for two days to earth.
Gas Ballooning.net - current information on the state of sport gas ballooning by gas balloon pilot Brian Critelli from Texas, USA.
Gas Ballon.be - Belgian site with good gas balloon competition information
Stratocat - Historical recopilation project on the use of stratospheric balloons in the scientific research, the military field and the aerospace activity
Gasballoons ascend because the gas inside is less dense and lighter than the air on the outside of the balloon.
Gasballoon pilots typically started out flying hot-air balloons, and then decided they wanted to be able to fly farther, higher and longer.
Gasballoon pilots may prepare for months before a competition, and when they’re racing, they sometimes fly into dangerous weather conditions or over open seas, where an emergency landing could be a disaster.
Balloons such as the Royal Vauxhall Balloon typical of gasballoons which were flown in the 1830’s and 1840’s.
Gasballoons continued to be the primary mode of air travel until the invention of the powered and controlled airplane by the Wright brothers in America in 1903.
Balloons using a combination of helium and hot air are now used for many long distance flights such as the around the world flight of Steve Fossett in his balloon, “Bud Light Spirit of Freedom” on June 19, 2002.
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