A DIFFERENT KIND OF BALLOON LAUNCH ON WEDNESDAY MORNING FROM ALBUQUERQUE’S BALLOON FIESTA PARK. IT’S A FOUR-STORY TALL SOLAR BALLOON WITH A LOT OF CUBIC FEET IN ITS ENVELOPE. PAUL GARVER WITH THE BALLOON MUSEUM SAYS IT’S BEING USED TO TRY TO SET A NEW ALTITUDE RECORD FOR A HOT AIR BALLOON.
GARVER SAYS THE AIR IN THE BALLOON IS ONLY HEATED BY THE SUN, SO AS THE SUN SETS, THE BALLOON DESCENDS. THEY EXPECTED THE BALLOON TO LAND OVER TEXAS OR OKLAHOMA, BUT IT WAS IN THE AIR FOR THREE HOURS AND ENDED UP LANDING BETWEEN CLINES CORNERS AND SANTA ROSA. IT ALSO ONLY REACHED 21-THOUSAND FEET IN THE AIR.
THE BALLOON’S BUILDER, ALBUQUERQUE RESIDENT DANIEL BOWMAN, SAYS HE WANTED THE BALLOON TO REACH AT LEAST 100-THOUSAND FEET. THE CURRENT RECORD IS JUST SHY OF THAT MARK.
