summary of status and plans for the GHOST Balloon Project

Abstract

Over 200 flights have been made in the Southern Hemisphere with superpressure balloons. These GHOST balloons have performed well in the stratosphere with flight durations from three to fifteen months. At altitudes below 300-mb balloon life has not been satisfactory for an economic operational system. A technique now under development is described which will overcome the problem of balloon icing in clouds; this technique will utilize vertical soundings made from a mother balloon.