Amateur Superpressure Research at UKHAS Balloon Conference

I recently gave a presentation on the frontier of amateur science ballooning, a type of balloon called the ‘superpressure’.  The event was the United Kingdom High Altitude Society first annual Amateur Balloon Conference on October 15, 2011, in London, England. I was unable to travel there, so I combined Skype live video with a pre-recorded presentation.

Slides from presentation and Source Paper Citations in text format

Now, background info to get you up to speed on the state of amateur superpressure:

This type of balloon has the potential to stay in the air for extremely long times, much longer than the 3 days flight estimated for the White Star’s trans-atlantic ‘zero-pressure’ balloons.

Superpressure is merely the condition where the gas inside the balloon is pressurized higher than the air pressure outside of the balloon. This can only happen with a balloon that doesn’t swell up like rubber nor can it be allowed to burst. Practically, you need a super strong plastic bubble.

Mylar is very strong, so Mylar foil (polyester) balloons from parties have been tried many times. Much math has gone into trying to calculate just the right lift and weight are needed to make the balloons pressurize and achieve level flight. Unlike the success in making and using ‘zero-pressure’ balloons, amateurs have had little, if any success making and using superpressures. The goal is a level float that lasts day and night, without needing to drop ballast.

Most flights seem to rise and simply burst, or more rarely, achieve float, but sink to the ground at sunset. I’ve taken the time to begin researching publicly available science research papers from the wonderfully open, various US meteorological journals. What follows in the presentation, is a summary of the things I’ve found that might explain why it isn’t working, and how we can make it work.

Here’s a link to the rest of the presentations on video.

4 thoughts on “Amateur Superpressure Research at UKHAS Balloon Conference

  1. Dan, this was fascinating. The promise of weeks aloft is too interesting an opportunity to resist. I shall follow progress with interest.


  2. Pingback: Head Full of Air » 1st Transcontinental & 1st Trans-Atlantic Balloon Overflight- California Near Space

  3. Pingback: UKHAS Amateur Balloon Conference | White Star Balloon Project

Leave a Reply
