Just updated on #StratoCat important events and dates of #scientific ballooning history that occurred in #April

- Victor #Hess discovers #cosmic rays
- Astronomical observations from 43.000 ft by Audouin #Dollfus
- First data gathering flight for BAMM-II program
- Soviet airborne laser system damage a stratospheric balloon over #Volsk
- First hot air #balloon flight across the English Channel

...and much more

https://stratocat.com.ar/otd/indexe.html

On April 22, 1959 astronomer Audouin #Dollfus made from Villacoublay, France an ascent to 43000 ft in a sealed cabin, using a cluster of 105 sounding balloons.

The lightweight #gondola, a 230-pound sphere of thin metal about six feet in diameter, was sealed, pressurized, and air-conditioned.

During the flight, the #balloon system stabilized at an altitude of about 43,000 feet. He studied the Moon, #Venus & other planets with a #telescope coupled to a spectrophotometer.

#BalloonImageOfTheDay