birdwatcher
Well-Known Member
I've taken an interest to astronomy, specifically seeing galaxies with my own eyes. Looking at the dimmer disk of them with the stars and atmosphere in the way is like looking at an interrogator's face when he has a spot light shining at you. I'm interested in balloons and such. I'm guessing they are expensive.
How restrictive is FAA of balloons going to 60,000 feet? Are they required to have flashing lights on them? Flashing lights would impair night vision. Hopefully they would be happy with just a transponder, and I could use flashing lights just while going from 0 to 45,000 feet, and then turn the lights off above that.
Thanks.
As for the balloon, I think the easiest way to have a pressurized cabin would be with a plastic bubble. It would expand a bit, but not enough to deprive me of oxygen. It would have enough to last at least 12 hours. It would probably also cool down a lot, which would be a problem. I also don't know if water vapor would condense on the inside, or if the plastic itself would distort my view. As for the balloon itself, I would want it to be much higher than the cabin, so it does not take up as much of my view. I think the balloon would have to be helium, since hot air might require a flame that affects night vision, unless the balloon is opaque or heated by a large filament. There also is the issue of controlling where I land.
Would it just be cheaper in the long run to make several trips to the mountains in the Sonoran desert and do my star gazing there?
I also suspect it would be far better to rent a plane or have a pilot give a ride than for me to buy my own, though I'm not sure about that. I would think this astronomy balloon would be something jointly owned by an astronomy club.
I also considered a pressurized, turbo charged, high aspect ration low wing plan with a dome cockpit and auto pilot. I'm guessing that would be very expensive though.
OK. I think I have my plan. I plan to build a balloon in 4 years from now, when I have a professional job and can afford it. I'll charge people to come up with me to recoup some of my losses, assuming there is no law against that. I think 100,000 feet is where it is at. Unless someone else already has a balloon, in which case I'll just pay them for a ride. There still is the pesky issue of water condensation on windows.
How restrictive is FAA of balloons going to 60,000 feet? Are they required to have flashing lights on them? Flashing lights would impair night vision. Hopefully they would be happy with just a transponder, and I could use flashing lights just while going from 0 to 45,000 feet, and then turn the lights off above that.
Thanks.
As for the balloon, I think the easiest way to have a pressurized cabin would be with a plastic bubble. It would expand a bit, but not enough to deprive me of oxygen. It would have enough to last at least 12 hours. It would probably also cool down a lot, which would be a problem. I also don't know if water vapor would condense on the inside, or if the plastic itself would distort my view. As for the balloon itself, I would want it to be much higher than the cabin, so it does not take up as much of my view. I think the balloon would have to be helium, since hot air might require a flame that affects night vision, unless the balloon is opaque or heated by a large filament. There also is the issue of controlling where I land.
Would it just be cheaper in the long run to make several trips to the mountains in the Sonoran desert and do my star gazing there?
I also suspect it would be far better to rent a plane or have a pilot give a ride than for me to buy my own, though I'm not sure about that. I would think this astronomy balloon would be something jointly owned by an astronomy club.
I also considered a pressurized, turbo charged, high aspect ration low wing plan with a dome cockpit and auto pilot. I'm guessing that would be very expensive though.
OK. I think I have my plan. I plan to build a balloon in 4 years from now, when I have a professional job and can afford it. I'll charge people to come up with me to recoup some of my losses, assuming there is no law against that. I think 100,000 feet is where it is at. Unless someone else already has a balloon, in which case I'll just pay them for a ride. There still is the pesky issue of water condensation on windows.
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