Balloon
The world leading manufacturer in natural latex meteorological balloons is the Japanese company Totex.
These balloons are manufactured in several sizes (weight) from 10 gr to 3 kg.
This is not the weight it can lift but the weight of the non-inflated balloons (the latex itself).
After some calculations, we chose the 1500 gr model.
Balloons are inflated with Helium. Hydrogen is far cheaper but just remember LZ 129 Hindenburg and you would not want to play with it.
We rented our Helium bottles through an Air Liquide dealer here in Belgium.
We use latex gloves during the launches as the latex balloons do not love human skin contact.
At the launch the balloon size is 2.1 meters round. At the altitude of 33 km, it is 9.5 meters.
Then, under the pressure of the Helium inside, it simply bursts and the free fall begins.
These balloons are manufactured in several sizes (weight) from 10 gr to 3 kg.
This is not the weight it can lift but the weight of the non-inflated balloons (the latex itself).
After some calculations, we chose the 1500 gr model.
Balloons are inflated with Helium. Hydrogen is far cheaper but just remember LZ 129 Hindenburg and you would not want to play with it.
We rented our Helium bottles through an Air Liquide dealer here in Belgium.
We use latex gloves during the launches as the latex balloons do not love human skin contact.
At the launch the balloon size is 2.1 meters round. At the altitude of 33 km, it is 9.5 meters.
Then, under the pressure of the Helium inside, it simply bursts and the free fall begins.