Balloonists Attempt World Altitude Record

ACey writes "BBC News is reporting on the latest attempt to break the balloon altitude world record. Qinetiq 1 is scheduled to launch tomorrow, 2nd September 2003, from the coast of Cornwall, UK, and aims to reach 132,000 feet or 25 miles in a flight that could last 12 hours. The balloon is so big (1,250 feet tall) that it should be visible from most of the UK, Ireland and Western France as it climbs. Good luck to them!"

Comments

xprize?

[mikeee]

Hm. If they could launch it again in a suitable time window, would this be eligable for the X-Prize?

Re:One question comes to my mind:

[Anonymous Coward]

"Why?"

Isn't it obvious?

"Proud patriot and republican voter."

Oh, that explains it. You see some things in life aren't about profit, religon, or power. Sometimes they are about trying to overcome obsticles and sharing the wisdom with the rest of humankind.

Re:are they going to jump too?

[benj_e]

um, I think you mean Columbia, and they weren't going 12,000 MPH in the manhigh program were they?

Re:Balloons?! Still?! Again?! etc.

[rokzy]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/sci_nat/03/b allooning/html/glider.stm

"The technology behind Zephyr could be used as a communications platform for mobile phones in remote areas, or disaster zones, or even by the military for surveillance."

happy...?

Launch On Hold

[jea6]

In case anybody is reading this far, the launch is on hold until 3-9 due to inclement weather.

"Conditions were not suitable for the launch. All being well, it will happen as planned on Wednesday morning," said the spokesman.