Half a Century Ago, a Scientific Balloon Circumnavigated the Globe

Boomerang balloon makes twice round the world trip - Science News, April 7, 1973

The Boomerang project has achieved a significant scientific milestone by successfully recovering a balloon scientific payload after a twice-around-the-world flight. This is the first time such an accomplishment has ever been made and is an important step in demonstrating the feasibility of using balloons for long-duration research.

Balloons play a crucial role in scientific research, carrying instruments to study a range of phenomena such as physics, atmospheric chemistry, astronomy, and technology for space missions. For instance, data collected by balloons have contributed to significant discoveries such as the geometric flatness of the universe, the rise of Earth's lower atmosphere due to climate change, and the impact of wildfire smoke on the ozone layer (SN: 10/08/02; SN: 12/18/21; SN: 8/8/19).

However, high-altitude balloons are facing new challenges concerning privacy. Recently, the US has shot down several objects that were high above the country, including a surveillance balloon from China. President Joe Biden disclosed in a news briefing on February 16 that these objects could be tied to private companies, recreation or research institutions studying weather or conducting other scientific research. Nonetheless, some scientists worry about the impact of increased concern over spying on the deployment of high-altitude balloons, as they are controlled by winds and travel vast distances.

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