Flights of Fancy, Part 1: Hot Air Balloons

Lynne H. HehrSTEM Center for Mathematics and Science Education

Arkansas NASA Educator Resource Center

University of Arkansas, Fayetteville

Montgolfier Balloon

1782

-

1783

Balloons In Military Aviation

Explorer II

1935

1st use

of

aerial photography

World’s Largest Balloon

High Altitude Balloons

Facts

• 1960 – world original space dive: Joseph Kittinger high altitude parachute jump

• 1978 – Double Eagle II 1st balloon (helium) to cross the Atlantic Ocean

• 1981 – Double Eagle V 1st balloon to cross the Pacific Ocean

• 1999 – first around the world flight• 2012 – Supersonic Skydive by Felix Baumgartner

Balloon Uses Today

• Study astronomy, magnetic fields, cosmic dust, biology

• Warfare• Logging operations – for hauling logs• Fun and Sports• Weather forecasting• War against drug traffic

Integration - Mathematics

Balloonists like to fly together. Sometimes there will be 40 to 50 balloons “flying” together. Each balloon basket can carry 3 or 4 people. If there are 45 balloons and 3 passengers in each balloon basket, how many passengers are there all together?

Integration - Art

Supply art supplies and have your students draw pictures to put on the sides of hot-air balloons that will fly over your city to advertise the best-ever chocolate chip ice cream.

Integration - Writing

Balloons are a most unusual flying machine. As a class pretend that you are taking a trip in a balloon. Write a tale of your trip.

How To Make A Hot Air Balloon

• Glue 4 tissue sheets together – 8 times• Fold all glued sheets lengthwise • Stack all sheets along fold• Top with pattern and clamp together• Cut all sheets along pattern edge• Glue, glue, glue• Top with tissue “lid” • Bottom it with straw circle