Stratolab
Encyclopedia
Project Strato-Lab was a high-altitude manned balloon program sponsored by the United States Navy
during the 1950s and early 1960s. The Strato-Lab program lifted the first Americans into the upper reaches of the stratosphere since World War II. Project Strato-Lab developed out of the Navy's unmanned balloon program, Project Skyhook. The program was established in 1954 and administrated by Commander Malcolm Ross
(United States Navy
). Malcolm Ross and others developed the program to accomplish research required for the manned rocket program to follow. This program provided biomedical data that was used for subsequent efforts in space. Malcolm Ross launched five numbered flights (Strato-Lab 1 through Strato-Lab 5) as well as other unnumbered flights.
Stato-Lab was developed to allow humans to make observations and perform experiments in the upper reaches of the stratosphere using balloons constructed of a thin layer of polyethylene plastic. These balloons were developed during the earlier Projects Helios and Skyhook
by Jean Piccard
and Otto C. Winzen
. Their purpose had been to reduce the weight of the balloons to a fraction of previously used rubber balloons. The Strato Lab program used both open and pressurized gondolas built by Winzen Research Inc
and the balloon program in the Mechanical Division of General Mills, Inc.
Strato-Lab built on the earlier programs with goals to obtain fundamental data in the fields of astronomy, astro and atmospheric physics, and human physiology at high altitudes.
The Strato-Lab flights made a number of contributions to the manned space flight program. One set of experiments demonstrated that protons from solar flare activity posed a serious risk to humans working in space. This contributed to developing methods of predicting and monitoring solar flare activity. Strato-Lab also contributed to early astronomical observations above the bulk of the Earth's atmosphere. Secondarily to the scientific objectives of the program, Strato-Lab set a number of records for scientific endeavor and general aeronautics.
The Strato-Lab flights culminated in a record-setting flight on May 4, 1961, by Commander Malcolm Ross
and Lieutenant Commander Victor Prather
(United States Navy
) to test the Navy's Mark IV full-pressure suit. The Mark IV suit overcame problems of weight, bulk, ventilation, air and water tightness, mobility, temperature control, and survival capabilities so well that NASA
selected a modified version for use by the Project Mercury
astronauts. The May 4 flight was the most severe test of the suit that was ever conducted. The flight set an altitude record of 113,740 feet (34.67 km), lasted 9 hours 54 minutes, and covered a horizontal distance of 140 miles (225.3 km). The research goals of the flight were successful, but Victor Prather drowned during the helicopter transfer after landing.
The May 4 altitude record still stands for manned balloon flight. For this record ascent, President John F. Kennedy
presented the balloonists (Victor Prather, posthumously to his wife) the 1961 Harmon Trophy
for Aeronauts. For one day the balloonists held the record for the highest that any American had traveled into space. The Soviet
cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin
had orbited the Earth almost a month earlier, on April 12, 1961; and the next day, on May 5, Alan Shepard
flew a sub-orbital trajectory on the Mercury
Redstone rocket.
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
during the 1950s and early 1960s. The Strato-Lab program lifted the first Americans into the upper reaches of the stratosphere since World War II. Project Strato-Lab developed out of the Navy's unmanned balloon program, Project Skyhook. The program was established in 1954 and administrated by Commander Malcolm Ross
Malcolm Ross (balloonist)
Malcolm D. Ross was a Captain in the United States Naval Reserve , an atmospheric scientist, and a balloonist who set several records for altitude and scientific inquiry, with more than 100 hours flight time in gas balloons by 1961. Along with Lieutenant Commander Victor A...
(United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
). Malcolm Ross and others developed the program to accomplish research required for the manned rocket program to follow. This program provided biomedical data that was used for subsequent efforts in space. Malcolm Ross launched five numbered flights (Strato-Lab 1 through Strato-Lab 5) as well as other unnumbered flights.
Stato-Lab was developed to allow humans to make observations and perform experiments in the upper reaches of the stratosphere using balloons constructed of a thin layer of polyethylene plastic. These balloons were developed during the earlier Projects Helios and Skyhook
Skyhook balloon
Skyhook balloons were balloons developed by Otto C. Winzen and General Mills, Inc., and used by the United States Navy Office of Naval Research in the late 1940s and in the 1950s for atmospheric research, especially for constant-level meteorological observations at very high altitudes...
by Jean Piccard
Jean Piccard
Jean Felix Piccard , also known as Jean Piccard, was a Swiss-born American chemist, engineer, professor and high-altitude balloonist. He invented clustered high-altitude balloons, and with his wife Jeannette, the plastic balloon...
and Otto C. Winzen
Otto C. Winzen
Otto C. Winzen was a German - American aeronautics engineer who made significant advances in the materials and construction of balloons after World War II....
. Their purpose had been to reduce the weight of the balloons to a fraction of previously used rubber balloons. The Strato Lab program used both open and pressurized gondolas built by Winzen Research Inc
Winzen Research
Winzen Research Inc created balloons in the 1950s and 1960s that were used by the United States Navy in its Projects Helios, Skyhook, and Strato-Lab. Balloons were also sold to the United States Air Force for use in Project Manhigh and for a secret reconnaissance mission, called Moby Dick, to...
and the balloon program in the Mechanical Division of General Mills, Inc.
General Mills
General Mills, Inc. is an American Fortune 500 corporation, primarily concerned with food products, which is headquartered in Golden Valley, Minnesota, a suburb of Minneapolis. The company markets many well-known brands, such as Betty Crocker, Yoplait, Colombo, Totinos, Jeno's, Pillsbury, Green...
Strato-Lab built on the earlier programs with goals to obtain fundamental data in the fields of astronomy, astro and atmospheric physics, and human physiology at high altitudes.
The Strato-Lab flights made a number of contributions to the manned space flight program. One set of experiments demonstrated that protons from solar flare activity posed a serious risk to humans working in space. This contributed to developing methods of predicting and monitoring solar flare activity. Strato-Lab also contributed to early astronomical observations above the bulk of the Earth's atmosphere. Secondarily to the scientific objectives of the program, Strato-Lab set a number of records for scientific endeavor and general aeronautics.
The Strato-Lab flights culminated in a record-setting flight on May 4, 1961, by Commander Malcolm Ross
Malcolm Ross (balloonist)
Malcolm D. Ross was a Captain in the United States Naval Reserve , an atmospheric scientist, and a balloonist who set several records for altitude and scientific inquiry, with more than 100 hours flight time in gas balloons by 1961. Along with Lieutenant Commander Victor A...
and Lieutenant Commander Victor Prather
Victor Prather
Lieutenant Commander Victor A. Prather Jr. was an American flight surgeon famous for taking part in "Project RAM", a government project to develop the space suit.-Life:...
(United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
) to test the Navy's Mark IV full-pressure suit. The Mark IV suit overcame problems of weight, bulk, ventilation, air and water tightness, mobility, temperature control, and survival capabilities so well that NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
selected a modified version for use by the Project Mercury
Project Mercury
In January 1960 NASA awarded Western Electric Company a contract for the Mercury tracking network. The value of the contract was over $33 million. Also in January, McDonnell delivered the first production-type Mercury spacecraft, less than a year after award of the formal contract. On February 12,...
astronauts. The May 4 flight was the most severe test of the suit that was ever conducted. The flight set an altitude record of 113,740 feet (34.67 km), lasted 9 hours 54 minutes, and covered a horizontal distance of 140 miles (225.3 km). The research goals of the flight were successful, but Victor Prather drowned during the helicopter transfer after landing.
The May 4 altitude record still stands for manned balloon flight. For this record ascent, President John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
presented the balloonists (Victor Prather, posthumously to his wife) the 1961 Harmon Trophy
Harmon Trophy
The Harmon Trophy is a set of three international trophies, to be awarded annually to the world's outstanding aviator, aviatrix , and aeronaut...
for Aeronauts. For one day the balloonists held the record for the highest that any American had traveled into space. The Soviet
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin
Yuri Gagarin
Yuri Alekseyevich Gagarin was a Soviet pilot and cosmonaut. He was the first human to journey into outer space, when his Vostok spacecraft completed an orbit of the Earth on April 12, 1961....
had orbited the Earth almost a month earlier, on April 12, 1961; and the next day, on May 5, Alan Shepard
Alan Shepard
Alan Bartlett Shepard, Jr. was an American naval aviator, test pilot, flag officer, and NASA astronaut who in 1961 became the second person, and the first American, in space. This Mercury flight was designed to enter space, but not to achieve orbit...
flew a sub-orbital trajectory on the Mercury
Project Mercury
In January 1960 NASA awarded Western Electric Company a contract for the Mercury tracking network. The value of the contract was over $33 million. Also in January, McDonnell delivered the first production-type Mercury spacecraft, less than a year after award of the formal contract. On February 12,...
Redstone rocket.
External links
- Stratolab, an Evolutionary Stratospheric Balloon Project article by Gregory Kennedy