Ideal weather conditions are essential for the launch because of the delicate process of laying out and pumping helium into the 55-storey high balloon that will carry Felix Baumgartner and his over 1,300-kg space capsule to the stratosphere. The balloon, the largest ever used made for manned flight, was constructed out of strips of high-performance polyethylene, a plastic film. These strips that would cover 40 acres if they were laid out flat on the ground. The balloon’s height when it reaches jump altitude will be 334 feet (102 meters), with a diameter of 424 feet (129 meters).
ATA crew members fill up the balloon with helium at the flight line during the second manned test flight for Red Bull Stratos in Roswell, New Mexico, USA on July 25, 2012 (c) balazsgardi.com/Red Bull Content Pool
The launch on October 9 was scheduled for dawn, which is the best time with ideal wind conditions to avoid tearing the mammoth balloon envelope. However, due to weather conditions the launch was attempted at 18:15 GMT but was aborted due to high winds.
Deflating Balloon Felix Baumgartner
Eight hours before the launch, a specially trained 15-man crew will begin preparing for the balloon’s one and only flight. The crew will closely remove any dirt or fine debris from the runway that could damage the balloon before a team of about 10, wearing cotton cloves and protective clothing to prevent snags, will carefully move the boxed balloon from the hangar and begin laying it out on a protective layer of Herculite, a durable fabric.
One hour before the launch, Crew Chief Ed Coca will get clearance from Don Day and Mission Control to begin the final countdown and give the order to start inflating the balloon, which has an un-inflated weight of 3,708 pounds / 1,682 kilograms.
It will take about 45 to 60 minutes to pump the helium, a non-flammable gas that is lighter than air, from two trucks into the balloon while a third truck with specially designed equipment will hold down the balloon.
The Red Bull Stratos balloon is ten times larger than the balloon used by the current record holder, Joe Kittinger, who jumped from an altitude of 102,800ft in 1960. This graphic gives you a comparison by Red Bull Creative
The balloon, 10 times larger than the balloon used by Joe Kittinger for his record jump from 102,800 feet (31,333 meters) 52 years ago, which Baumgartner will be trying to beat, will be tall and thin at the launch.
The delicate process and entire mission can be watched live on www.redbullstratos.com
Read more about the importance of weather for the Red Bull Stratos Mission here.
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