Evening star., 1932-08-20
Prof. Piccard's Own Story
Ascent Into Sratosphere Called Success, but Belgian
Scientist Declines to Make Further Comment
Until After Study of Results.
MRS. BETTY LUND,

maximum capacity Of the balloon being
1000 cubic feet. The mushroom
shaped envelope gradually grew to a
height of $50 feet. So careful had we
been of our weights that the cabin
had to be put on scales in order to
determine how much ballast it would
be necessary to carry.
Eastward dawn was breaking. Our
departure had to be timed for just a
moment before sunrise. Luckily, the
total absence of wind made conditions
ideal. We cut loose at 5:07 am, rising
from the ground so gently as to make
actual departure almost imperceptible.
A slight tendency to hang back was
overcome by dumping 90 pounds Of
ballast.
So perfect was the ascent could put
my head outside the portfolio and sur
vey the ground around us. At a height
of 1,500 meters the pull Of the earth
was definitely overcome. We then
closed the sealed cabin and left the
outside world below U.S.
We were entering the kingdom Of
the stratosphere!
A visit to the stratosphere, which Is
a world apart, is delightful beyond de-
scription. My greatest regret was that
I had to concentrate on my expert
ments in connection with the cosmic
rays instead of devoting myself to ad-
mitting the grandeur of nature awaken
ing at dawn, far away from the noises
of the world.
No Storms in Stratosphere.
In the stratosphere there are no
storms, no ice, no snow. The tempera-
ture is always between so and 60 de-
grees below zero, centigrade. The
winds always blow horizontally when
they blow at all. Consequently they
will not affect future travellers who,
we believe, will be crossing from Paris
to New York in six hours in the near
future.
Storms, delays are non-existent in
the stratoways, because the atmospheric
conditions never change.
While our program for studying the
cosmic rays was carried out in COM
plete detail, I should very much like
to extend my experiments over the
Hudson Bay region, Canada, some time
in the future. because of the magnetic
conditions prevailing there.
However probably would not ascend
myself there. because I am not ac-
climated to those ATTITUDES and am not
familiar with the subpolar regions.
Some American or Canadian scientist,
familiar with the local conditions must
undertake the work, but should dearly
love to supervise his observations.
Cosmic rays present one Of the most
interesting of the unsolved mysteries
in modern science. When secrets are
learned of these phenomena of nature,
We shall understand better radio ac-
tivity and the constitution Of atomic
energies in the realm Of astrophysics.
My emotional reactions on the fight
make me feel sure Of pleasures which
are ahead for stratotcurists Of the
future. We assembled without knowing
the direction in which we were head
ing. When We finally peered down.
ward toward the earth we saw Rap
persuyl, the Wallensee and the Lake
Lucerne. Other lakes also stretched
out below us and we're visible from
the nacelle for a long time.
After we had been up for some time
I could not resist the temptation Of
stopping my work in order to admire
the beauties which lay beneath us.
I could easily pick up my whereabouts
because, unlike last year, when I was
over unknown regions during our
flight, am well acquainted with the
geography of Switzerland and Italy.
Aviators flying at height of $4,000
feet are most unlikely to lose their di-
rection because of the wider radius of
visibility they enjoy. The minor de-
tails in the landscape admittedly are
blurred, but mountains, lakes and
forests stand out well defined.
When We came down here in Italy
We did not do without maps, but we
would have been cognizant of our
whereabouts Immediately even If we
had not been greeted by yells of peas
ants who called to us in German-SWiSs
dialect and also Italian. The only I'M
comfortable experience of the entire
venture was when the spherical cabin
rolled for a few minutes and Cosyns
my assistant, and myself were jumbled
up with our instruments. Otherwise,
the ascent was almost boring because
of its scheduled uniformity.
Results Satisfactory.
The results of the ascent are COM
pletely satisfactory, but I am unable
to generalize on the deduction to be
obtained before I have made a care
full study of the record.
My cosmic ray observations began
when we reached a height of 5000
meters and continued uninterruptedly
until We were 16.500 meters above sea
level. We could have gone higher, but
it was not necessary to do so. For
one thing, the cold at that altitude
is intense. We drank hot milk, ate
chocolate, oranges = fruit tarts.
1t Is pleasant to re. hat we have
received thousands Of messages Of good
wishes since We returned to earth.
M. Motta, President of the Swiss
Confederation, and the King and
Queen of the Belgians have honored
US with their congratulations. We
have also been recipients of compli-
mentary kilograms from scientists and
a6mirers in all parts Of the world.
To sum up. I may say ours was not
a spectacular flight. for we rose from
the earth as liohflu as feathar and