roswell

Flight 80: Released at Alamogordo, New Mexico, 1126 MST, July 2,, 1948
Recovered at. Rincon, New Mexico
On this f'light an automatic ballast valve activated by a minimum-pressure
switch was used to support a .OOl", 20..foot polyethylene balloon. From the
height-time cum (Figure 33) it may be seen that the balloon remained at its
maximum height for two hours, then began to descend slowly. A ballast meter
waa in use, and no ballast flow was recorded until the balloon descended to
about 30,000 feet. It is likely that the mercury minimum-pressure switch was
i'rozen at the higher levels, or the. t the squib 'Which the switch controlled
failed to detonate until a higher pressure was reached.
FLIGHT 80
Released at Alamogcrdo,N.M
-+-+--+---+----"'.-+----+----4---1 July 24, 1948- il26 M.S:r
at Rincon,N.M.
25,1948
Figure 33
Follawin~ the activation of the aneroid capsule of the automatic bal~t
valve, ballast was released in four separate blocks. Wi t..ll each flaw of
ballast except the fo~rt~, the balloon was returned to the seal-off pressure
of the aneroid with no change in this pressure (321 m~:::28,500feet;~. The
fourth ballast-flow period lasted until the balloon had risen to 300 mb{30,000
teet) and ballast cut off there. Since the sun had set between the third and
-40-