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Weather Balloons as Wireless Telephone Technology

Posted by timothy on from the or-is-that-a-trial-balloon dept.

Under the plan described in this article submitted by reader RoscoHead, "Space Data would use un-tethered weather balloons launched daily by the National Weather Service to carry lightweight wireless communications equipment to an altitude of 100,000 feet. There, at the 'SkySite,' they would relay voice and data signals to remote areas at a fraction of the cost of installing cell towers or launching satellites, company officials say."

3 of 153 comments (clear)

  1. Practical Concerns by scrote-ma-hote · · Score: 5, Insightful
    The article states that the balloons were launched day in, day out. What about the poor weather days where the wind is gusty and fast? Does the cell coverage on those days get lost?

    Over the summer (in the southern hemisphere), I worked to help launch ozone measuring balloons, (same idea, more equipment), and we launched them only in fairly calm conditions. A balloon full of hydrogen is a fairly scary prospect when it's getting blown around. Does this also mean a commercial company will be putting extra pressure on the NWS to launch in potentially unsafe conditions? Scary thought!

    1. Re:Practical Concerns by Gordonjcp · · Score: 3, Insightful

      The wind was about 12 m/s that day, if I remember correctly.

      So presumably the hydrogen blew away and dissipated immediately? I wouldn't worry too much about it. Just don't let anyone smoke near the launch site...

  2. Just another symptom... by Alsee · · Score: 3, Insightful

    of our "disposable" society.

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    - - You can't take something off the Internet! That's like trying to take pee out of a swimming pool.