Mike Lorrey writes:
> A new NASA program is the Ultra Long Duration Balloon, which can carry
> up to 1600 kg at an altitude minimum of 33.5 km for periods of up to 100
> days. What is the mass fraction required to launch from the 33.5 km
> altitude at the equator and gain a 200 km orbit? (btw: what is the
> equation to use to calculate mass fractions? Spike, can you post up your
> spreadsheet?
Seems like they're having a lot of problems with this experiment, as seen
at http://www.wff.nasa.gov/~uldb/hotnews.html. The first balloon sprung
a leak almost immediately, and the second didn't even last one night.
They called the second flight a success, but since their goal was
apparently to circumnavigate the earth it doesn't sound like one to me.
Hal
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