Earth Science: Geology, the Environment, and the Universe

Unit 4: The Atmosphere and the Oceans

WebQuest Projects 3

Jet Stream Jaunt: Around the World in a Balloon

Introduction

In 1782, a sheep, a duck, and a rooster were the first creatures to fly in a hot air balloon, traveling a distance of two miles in eight minutes. The success of this flight gave the Montgolfier brothers, designers of the balloon, the courage to send Frenchmen Pilatre de Rozier and Marquis d'Arlandes on a twenty-minute, five-mile flight in 1783. More than 200 years later, adventurers would complete the circle of this story in a way these early explorers and inventors could scarcely have comprehended. In 1999, Bertrand Piccard and Brian Jones became the first men to circumnavigate the world in a balloon, shattering all previous distance records and earning a unique place in aviation history.

What did it take to accomplish this amazing feat? First, a balloon carefully designed to meet the rigors of the environment in which it would travel. The Breitling Orbiter 3 was a huge balloon, weighing as much as a fighter plane and holding an amount of air equal to the volume needed to fill seven Olympic-sized swimming pools. Experienced pilots, knowledge gained from the trial and error of previous, unsuccessful attempts, and a keen understanding of the atmosphere were additional crucial components of the monumental flight. For speed, Piccard and Jones caught a ride on the jet stream, a ribbon of fast-moving air in the upper troposphere. But without the assistance of skilled meteorologists to guide the pilots around storms and help them navigate the jet stream, the journey would not have been possible. In this WebQuest, you will investigate the record-breaking flight of the Breitling Orbiter 3, and learn about the challenges faced by the brave pilots who were the first to travel around the world in a balloon.

Task

In this WebQuest, you will assume the role of one of the adventurers who made the first successful balloon flight around the world. Your first task is to use the Internet to learn about the details of the journey, including the flight plan, characteristics of the balloon, types of equipment used for navigation, communication, and safety, and daily activities on board during the duration of the trip. As you answer a set of questions about this historic flight, you will gather enough information to create a series of daily logs that might have been written by either Bertrand Piccard or Brian Jones and posted on a Web site throughout the journey. These log entries would have served to convey information about the flight to the many people around the world who were closely following the circumnavigation attempt and hoping for its success.

Resources

The Web sites given here will help you answer questions about circumnavigating the globe in a balloon. The information you gather will help you develop a series of daily log entries describing details of the flight of the Breitling Orbiter 3.

http://www.breitling.com/orbiter/breit98/eng/projet/index.html
This site offers a wealth of information about the first successful circumnavigation of the globe via balloon, including the technology and specialized equipment used in the flight, and what daily life was like on board the balloon during the journey. The itinerary and a world map showing the flight plan can be found, as well as a photo gallery, biographies of the pilots, and a description of the importance of utilizing the jet stream and understanding meteorology to a successful attempt.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/balloon
Visit this site to learn about the first attempts by balloonists to circumnavigate the globe. Both the history and science of ballooning are addressed, and information about the jet stream and its importance to global balloonists is given. You can also take a virtual balloon ride at this Web site, and read a fascinating interview with Steve Fossett, the first balloonist to successfully fly solo around the world in a balloon.

http://www.didyouknow.cd/aroundtheworld/balloons.htm
This site briefly outlines milestones in the history of balloon flight. Information about early flights in the 1700's, descriptions of the first circumnavigation attempts in the late 1900's, and images of the adventurers and their balloons can be found at this site.

http://www.eballoon.org/index.html
Visit this site to learn about the parts of a balloon, and how hot air balloons work. The site also includes descriptions and pictures of the first successful team and solo global balloon flights.

http://hypertextbook.com/facts/1997/CassandraEng.shtml
This site clearly explains the physics behind balloon flight. It also includes a discussion of the highest-altitude flights ever recorded.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/special_report/1998/11/98/great_balloon_challenge/300106.stm
Read statements made by pilots Bertrand Piccard and Brian Jones after they successfully circumnavigated the globe in 1999.

http://solospirit.wustl.edu/news.asp?5
Visit this site to learn about Steve Fossett's successful attempt to circumnavigate the globe alone using a southern hemisphere route in an unpressurized cabin. Details about his flight plan, equipment, and previous attempts are included.

http://oea.larc.nasa.gov/news_rels/1998/Dec98/98-099.html
This site explains NASA's interest in one of the teams of balloonists who attempted to circumnavigate the globe in 1999. Read the article to learn how space scientists can learn from high-altitude, long-distance balloon flights.

Time

One to two weeks to conduct research, answer questions, and write 19 log entries

Process

Read the following series of questions before beginning your research. As you explore each Web site, look for answers to the questions.

Questions about Global Balloon Flight

  1. In order to establish the record for around-the-world balloon flight, balloonists could neither touch down nor refuel in flight for the duration of the journey. Who were the first two men to successfully meet the requirements for circumnavigating the globe in a balloon? On what date did they complete their journey? How long did it take?
  2. The jet stream was discovered during World War II when aviators first tried to cross the Pacific Ocean. Describe some characteristics of the jet stream. Why is it important to global balloonists?
  3. The Breitling Orbiter 3, the balloon used by Piccard and Jones in their historic flight, had a helium cell surrounded by a hot-air envelope. At takeoff, the helium cell was only filled to 47% capacity. Based on your knowledge of the atmosphere, explain why this was important.
  4. The cabin of the Breitling Orbiter 3 was designed to provide comfort in the extreme cold and low atmospheric pressure conditions found at high altitudes, while being as small and lightweight as possible. What pieces of equipment which enhanced the pilots' comfort were in the cabin? How was air purified in the pressurized, hermetically sealed cabin?
  5. An array of specialized equipment was included on the Breitling Orbiter 3. Describe the types of communication equipment available. What equipment was specifically designed to enhance the safety of the pilots?
  6. Describe some aspects of the daily life of the pilots during the flight of the Breitling Orbiter 3. Include aspects like food, clothing, rest and work times, and conditions inside the cabin in your description.

Next, visit the Web sites listed. Use information from your research to answer the questions. As you study the sites, remember that you will use the information you gather to write a series of daily log entries describing various details of the journey from the point of view of one of the pilots. Therefore, interesting details your research uncovers should be recorded for later use. You will write one log entry per day of the journey, for a total of 19 entries. Entries should not be lengthy, but should include specific, relevant facts. The log entries are designed to be posted to a Web site which would be read by people around the world who are monitoring the trip via computer.

Based on your research, think about specific details to include in the log entries. Suggestions include the following:
  • date and time the entry was written (should be included in ALL entries)
  • weather conditions during the 12-hour liftoff preparation period, as well as at the time of the actual liftoff
  • type of clothing worn by the balloonists
  • the daily routine followed by the pilots
  • food eaten during the trip
  • how meteorologists used their knowledge of the jet stream and atmosphere to increase the odds of successfully completing the mission
  • problems encountered during the journey and how they were overcome
  • conditions inside the cabin, including temperature, amount of space, amenities, etc.
  • atmospheric conditions outside the cabin, including temperature, air pressure, wind speed, or storms
  • types of communication equipment utilized by the pilots
  • types of safety equipment on board the balloon
  • descriptions of what the pilots might have seen from the balloon while traveling over various Earth regions
  • hand-drawn diagrams or sketches of components of the balloon, pieces of equipment, or anything else the pilots might have drawn during the flight
  • a description of the landing at the end of the trip, including when and where the balloon landed, and how long the pilots waited to be picked up by team members

Think about your audience as you write the log entries. People of various ages in many countries around the world followed the flight of the Breitling Orbiter 3. Your entries should be brief, but should include specific details that would interest readers. Some log entries might even include a description of the emotions of writer at certain points in the journey. Base each entry on facts gathered from your research, but feel free to be creative in your interpretation of the pilot's personality and writing style as you compose.

Conclusion

While completing this WebQuest, you learned about the record-breaking flight of the Breitling Orbiter 3. As you gathered information to answer questions about attempts to circumnavigate the globe in a balloon, you reinforced your understanding of atmospheric conditions at high altitude. You also learned how balloons which fly in the upper troposphere are designed to withstand environmental conditions, while providing safety and comfort to the individuals who pilot them. Finally, you used writing skills and creativity to create a series of daily log entries which described various aspects of the historic flight. The skills you used in this WebQuest are important in both science and everyday life. Researching a topic, organizing the findings, and communicating with others in written form are essential skills in all subject areas and in many real-world tasks.

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