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I used to be, let's not say heavily involved, but eagerly observing, this community. I was lurking in #highaltitude when M0XER's B-64 crossed its launch longitu
by myself248 4y ago
I used to be, let's not say heavily involved, but eagerly observing, this community. I was lurking in #highaltitude when M0XER's B-64 crossed its launch longitude, marking a circumnavigation, and the place went _nuts_.
Then B-63, launched a few days earlier, did the same. But B-63 popped shortly thereafter, while B-64 just kept going, eventually circling 8 times over the coming 4 months. It's one thing to set a record, it's another thing to smash it so thoroughly immediately after setting it.
I want to say he was using dry-cleaning bags as envelopes early-on, but I think he switched materials to achieve that kind of durability.
- avz 4y agoTechnical detail: Having crossed all meridians is generally not considered the proper criterion for circumnavigation since this is trivially done near the poles. The definition I have come across include a loop that partitions Earth's surface into two parts of comparable area.
- lmm 4y agoThere's a tradition of having to pass through antipodal points, but that's probably too strict for a balloon.
- Andrew_nenakhov 4y agoAny two non-zero areas are comparable, but I don't think 1:10000000 will satisfy the definition. It is necessary to establish an acceptable ratio. 1:6 or something like that?
- bhickey 4y agoThe requirement I'm familiar with is crossing all meridians and the equator.