roswell

On completion of the survey of balloon materials other orders
l-rill be ~.)le..ced for experimental intE:rmediv te bB.lloons.
As soon as a series of ~uccessful flights are obtained, it is
?lanned to procure balloons of about 8 times the displacement of the inter-
mediate size for tests ~s the model to solve the problem. These larger
balloons would be about 30 feet in diameter.
Altitude Control
Mr. Goudy of the Kollsman Instrument Division of Square D Corpora-
tion was contacted to determine the feasibility of:
(1) An accurate pressure-actuated liQuid ballast dropping device.
(2) A motor-switched modulator for the standard Army radiosonde
AN/SMT-1. The standard pressure-switched modulator would be of little
vs.lue in determining the height of the constant level balloon s.fter it
leveled off on a constant pressure surface.
On a subcontract Kollsman undertook to build a pressure actuated
"dribbler" or ballast dropping device as follows:
Mechanically Controlle~ Dribbler
To consist of a diaphre.gm opera ted needle valve which will allow
no flow for a 2 mb. increase in pressure on the diaphragm over pressure
of which diaphragm is sealed but will allow a flow of 40 grams/minute
under 1 foot of lead for a 5 mb. increase in pressure. Petroleum ballast
with a density of about .775 gm/cc is to be used.
Diaphragm to be open to the atmosphere until it is sealed off
by the radiosonde pressure switch at a preset altitude.
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