Evening star., 1934-07-28
THOUSANDS SEE ASCENT.
Take-off Entirely SuccessfuI--Craft in
Good Condition.

Take-off Entirely Suecessful--Craft in
Good Condition.
RAPID CITY, S. OAK, July 20 (P-
The worlds largest balloon, with three
intrepid airmen In the huge metal
gondola, took Of at 5;45 am. noun
tain standard time, today for daring
flight into the stratosphere.
The craft moved straight upward.
clearing the walls Of the bowl in
about minute.
The takeoff was entirely successful
and the balloon moved out northeast.
Maj. William e. Kepner was on top
of the gondola as 1t moved out. Later
he will join Capt. Albert w. Stevens
and Capt. Orv1l A. Anderson inside.
A few minutes after the takeoh
from an altitude Of 7,400 feet the
men radioed, Everything o. K"
Is Miles Is Goal
Sponsored by the National Geo
graphic Society and the United states
Army Air Corps, the expedition aimed
at q new altitude mark of Is miles TO
study conditions in that unmapped
region above the clouds.
The massive craft, weighing more
than $4,000 pounds, resembled, a gi-
gantic exclamation point. The 2lOs00o
cubic feet of hydrogen gas with which
the bag was inflated was concentrated
in the top, and the fabric dropped in
folds nearly 800 feet below.
Working under the glare Of power
full fioodlights. a ground crew OF 100
men finished imitation at 1880 am.
Two hours later the metal sphere
holding ton Of precious instruments
was rolled under the balloon and
lashed so feet below 1t with heavy
lines.
Final checking followed and the
pilot made last tests Of the afr cur
rents over the bowl by sending up
small balloons.
"The successful imitation was q not
able achievement" Mai. Kepner said
Just before the takeoff. mo balloon
this large has ever been handled be-
fore and the men deserve full credit"
$4,000 See Ascent.
Crowds estimated at $4,000 massed
ON the natural grandstand above the
bowl waiting throughout the night to
witness the ascent.
Many drove hundreds of miles to
the fight camp and trafic jam
resulted.
The crowd cheered when the craft
cleared the wall. There had been
some apprehension that IL might
crash at the take-off. Weather con-
ditions we're perfect. Visibility was
good and ground winds low. The
weather map indicated similar eondi-
tious 400 to 800 miles southeast
where the balloon was expected to
drift.
The last articles placed In the
gondola we're furlined suits for use
N the bitter cold of the stratosphere.
The men took along few cans Of
beans. some oranges. bullion and 4
gallons Of drinking water.
Three airplanes followed the bal
loon, one OF them carrying balloon
riggers, who will attempt to ha ON
hand when the balloon descends
probably late this afternoon.
Decision TO take along Capt. An
derson was reached last night. First
plans called for only two men to 20,
but last-minute conference decided
that three would De necessary for
proper handling Of the craft and its
ton of scientific instruments
The fight eliminates more than six
weeks of preparations here. and Is the
seventh OF its kind ever attempted
Three and half times larger than
any previously built, the balloon car
ries the most complete and valuable
collection Of instruments ever Assem-,
bled for such an expedition.
Mechanical Brains.
Devised by cooperating techniciaz.
after months of work, mechanical
brains" wiz keep tab on changes IN
temperature. air pressure, time, aiti-
tude, cosnlic rays and other activities
in the little known upper ain where
fewer than . dozen men have gone
before in balloons. Cameras operating
automatically win record instrument
readings every 90 seconds. leaving the
men free for navigation and obseFva-