"Explorer II" Gondola
notes: label: Physical Description
content: Ball shape cabin painted black & white "National Geographic Society & U.S. Army Air Corps" on side.. Exterior accessories include canvas ballast bags, intrument parachute bags, main parachute, battery boxes, wicker spectrograph basket,
label: Summary
content: Launched on November 11, 1935, from the Stratobowl near Rapid City, South Dakota, Explorer II carried Captain Albert Stevens, Captain Orvil Anderson, and an assortment of instruments to a world record altitude of 22,066 meters (72,395 feet).
label: Summary
content: Explorer was the brainchild of Captain Stevens, Chief of the Army Air Corps’ photography laboratory at Wright Field, Ohio. With funding from the National Geographic Society, he and two crew members attempted a world altitude-record flight in 1934 with Explorer I. The flight ended in disaster when the balloon ripped shortly after launch, and its hydrogen mixed with air and exploded. After a harrowing few moments while Stevens had trouble escaping through the manhole, he and his two fellow aeronauts parachuted to safety.
label: Summary
content: For the next attempt, in Explorer II, the portholes were widened for easier escape, and the balloon was filled with helium. To ensure that it attained a record altitude, the balloon was enlarged, the crew was cut from three to two, and its scientific payload was halved.
label: Summary
content: Like Explorer I, Explorer II was constructed of welded magnesium/aluminum alloy sections. The 2.8 meter (9 foot) sphere weighed 290 kilograms (640 pounds) and carried a payload of 700 kilograms (1,500 pounds). The balloon lifted off at 7:01 am, reached its maximum height of 22 kilometers at 10:50 am and remained there until 12:20 pm. Then it began its descent and touched down at 3:14 pm near White Lake, South Dakota.
label: Summary
content: One of the flight’s most dramatic successes was the aerial photography: the first photographs showing the division between the troposphere and the stratosphere and the actual curvature of the earth from the record altitude. Captain Stevens’ cameras captured stunning photographs of South Dakota and surrounding states, and demonstrated the potential of high-altitude, long-range reconnaissance from manned balloons.
label: Summary
content: Although the scientific experiments were reduced from the original plans, Explorer II carried instruments that collected data for studies in cosmic ray research, the ozone layer, aeronomy, meteorology, biology, and radio propagation in the high atmosphere.
label: Summary
content: The National Geographic Magazine devoted several articles to the flight, widely disseminating the photographic, scientific, and engineering accomplishments to the general public. The flight was a public relations success for the Army and the National Geographic Society, and was also a successful venture between government, military, and civilian scientific interests.
label: Long Description
content: Launched on November 11, 1935, from the Stratobowl near Rapid City, South Dakota, Explorer II carried Captain Albert Stevens, Captain Orvil Anderson, and an assortment of instruments to a world record altitude of 22,066 meters (72,395 feet).
label: Long Description
content: Explorer was the brainchild of Captain Stevens, Chief of the Army Air Corps’ photography laboratory at Wright Field, Ohio. With funding from the National Geographic Society, he and two crew members, Anderson and Major William Kepner, attempted a world altitude-record flight in 1934 with Explorer I. The flight ended in disaster when the balloon ripped and its hydrogen mixed with air and exploded. After a harrowing few moments while Stevens had trouble escaping through the small hatch, he and his two fellow aeronauts parachuted to safety.
label: Long Description
content: For the next attempt, in Explorer II, the portholes were widened for easier escape, and the balloon was filled with helium. To ensure that it attained a record altitude, the balloon was enlarged, the crew was cut from three to two, and its scientific payload was halved.
label: Long Description
content: Like Explorer I, Explorer II was constructed of welded magnesium/aluminum alloy sections. The 2.8 meter (9 foot) sphere weighed 290 kilograms (640 pounds) and carried a payload of 700 kilograms (1,500 pounds). The balloon lifted off at 7:01 am, reached its maximum height of 22 kilometers at 10:50 am and remained there until 12:20 pm. Then it began its descent and touched down at 3:14 pm near White Lake, South Dakota.
label: Long Description
content: One of the flight’s most dramatic successes was the aerial photography: the first photographs showing the division between the troposphere and the stratosphere and the actual curvature of the earth from the record altitude. Captain Stevens’ cameras captured stunning photographs of South Dakota and surrounding states, and demonstrated the potential of high-altitude, long-range reconnaissance from manned balloons.
label: Long Description
content: Although the scientific experiments were reduced from the original plans, Explorer II carried instruments that collected data for studies in cosmic ray research, the ozone layer, aeronomy, meteorology, biology, and radio propagation in the high atmosphere.
label: Long Description
content: The National Geographic Magazine devoted several articles to the flight, widely disseminating the photographic, scientific, and engineering accomplishments to the general public. The flight was a public relations success for the Army and the National Geographic Society, and was also a successful venture between government, military, and civilian scientific interests.
place: label: Country of Origin
content: United States of America
setName: label: See more items in
content: National Air and Space Museum Collection
label: Location
content: National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC
label: Exhibition
content: Barron Hilton Pioneers of Flight
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of the National Geographic Society
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Air and Space Museum
identifier: label: Inventory Number
content: A19370060000
objectType: label: Type
content: CRAFT-Balloon
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: CC0
physicalDescription: label: Materials
content: Cabin; Painted magnesium alloy
label: Materials
content: Ballast and Parachute Bags; Canvas
label: Materials
content: Spectrograph Basket; Wicker
label: Materials
content: Ropes; twisted natural fiber
label: Materials
content: Battery Boxes; painted wood (probably plywood)
label: Materials
content: Toggles; Wood
label: Materials
content: Steel (braided cables)
label: Dimensions
content: 3-D: 274.3 × 411.5cm, 303.9kg (9 ft. × 13 ft. 6 in., 670lb.)