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National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Goddard Space Flight Center

Scientific Ballooning

Balloon Program Office

History of Ballooning

  • 1783
    • Balloon Model
    • Montgolfier brothers fly paper and fabric smoke filled balloon
    • First passengers: Duck, Sheep and Rooster.
  • 1794 - 1945
    • Balloons used as tool in warfare.
    • Japan launched 9,300 balloons towards US (Nov 1944-Apr 1945)
    • Moby Dick Project - US photographing of Soviet Union from Balloons (1950's)
Historic Balloon Experiment

NASA Code 820

Scientific Balloon Update

Report back for the latest update from NASA's Balloon Program Office.