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At least 10 balloons will be released this month in an effort to study the atmoshpere at high altitudes. Made of twin (polythene) plastic films with diameter ranging between 50 m and 85 m, these balloons will be filled with hydrogen.
According to B Suneel Kumar, scientist in-charge, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, the balloons are being launched from various centres on different dates under the auspices of the Department of Atomic Energy and the Indian Space Research Organisation.
The balloons, which will carry scientific instruments, are expected to reach heights of up to 30 km, depending on the experiment being undertaken. The experiments can take up to 10 hours, at the end of which the instruments will be released from the balloons.
The instruments will float down on large parachutes. Because of the balloons’ drift during the flight, the landing can happen up to 350 km from the launch site.
According to Suneel Kumar, one balloon will be released from TIFR Hyderabad campus and its drift path will be along the Visakhapatnam-Hyderabad-Solapur line in the areas of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra.
The Institute will reward people finding the parachute/instruments or giving information about their location the nearest police station, post office or district authorities.
The instruments are extremely sensitive and valuable and the information gathered very important. They contain high voltages and it is dangerous to mishandle them, he added.
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