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        New! Tetroon volume calculator and micron/mil calculator CalculatorsTetroon Volume Calculator__________Micron/Mil ConverterConvert microns (µm) to Mils (0.001 inch) or vice versa. Just enter the number in the field and it automatically calculates. |
HomeSite Last Updated: Friday, February 15, 2008 Order solar balloons on this site now!100% handmade solar balloons, many shapes & sizes. Click the link above to go to the online shop. We accept PayPal and money orders. Experience flying solar balloons without the painstaking work!10-foot tetroon broke 700!
I'm a little late in getting the word out, but now the video is done and I am announcing my
longest flight yet...A 10-foot tetroon flew 780 miles in less than 6 hours!I've confirmed the sender's IP address so this is not a hoax. The balloon was found near Quinby, Virginia the day after the release. This particular 10-foot tetroon was over a year and a half old when I released it. As you can see, it has many patches and some small holes and has been my aerial photography balloon since I built it in the early spring of 2006. 
When I built the 13 foot tetroon, I decided I should get rid of my old
beat-up balloon - and of course, I got a tag ready and turned the old tetroon into the sky.You can make and fly your own balloon this far! Here are a few links to help you get started. How to make your own How to release solar balloons Buy pre-built solar balloons Sign up for our contest! Here's the video500 miles! Fall is here...
If you are interested in releasing tagged balloons, taking aerial pictures, or just flying for fun, it's time to start building. Click Here for building instructions, or Purchase pre-built solar balloons.
I will be attempting to achieve new record distances for 5-foot tetroon (and other balloon) flights this fall, as well as getting some cool new aerial photos.
I am also running a contest for the farthest solar balloon flight. Click the link below for more info.CONTEST: Farthest Recorded Solar Balloon FlightI am running a contest this fall to see who can fly their solar balloon(s) the longest distance. The winner will recieve a Deluxe Solar Balloon Package (One 5-foot tetroon, one 24-foot solar tube, one 9-foot tetroon and a spool of monofilament fishing line tether). Click HereOut of state! 5-foot tetroon makes amazing 230-mile flight in less than 4 hours
February 4, 2007: Another 5-foot tetroon was released around 1:30 PM CST. Two days
later it was found in a creek bed under a canopy of trees! The balloon probably
washed a short distance downstream before it was found on February 6th, in Hayesville,
North Carolina.
This is my first out-of-state flight ever that has been recorded. From the time the balloon was released to the time the sun set was less than 4 hours. The balloon was traveling at over 60 mph! Solar tetroon traveled 170 miles On December 27, 2006, I released two 5-foot tall tetroons. Each one had a card attached
to it displaying my Web site address and where/when it was released. That
evening I got a return from one of them. It had flown approximately 40 miles northeast
of the launch site before landing in a pond.Three days later, I released another tetroon. After the sun had set and I was sure the balloon had landed, I checked my email. Sure enough, someone had found my balloon. But as I read the message, I realized that it was the other balloon I had released 3 days before—and it was over 170 miles away ... How do solar balloons work?A few facts to get you started if you're new to solar ballooning:
Solar balloons are constructed with thin black film, usually high density polyethylene (HDPE).
Since dark colors absorb heat, black is the best choice (although clear solar balloons have been made).
When the balloon is exposed to direct sunlight, the heat is absorbed by the black film, which in turn
heats the air inside the balloon. This way, a solar balloon can be filled with cold air, and it will
soon heat up and generate lift.Since hot air expands, this helps inflate the balloon, but not all the way. If a balloon is (for example) only 1/2 full, the air inside will heat quiclky and rise, pushing against the top and sides of the balloon. By pushing the envelope outward, it forces air into the balloon through the mouth. This eventually completely fills the balloon and it is ready for flight. 
Since solar balloons can stay hot and full, they can travel for hundreds of miles in one day. How
exactly does this work? Since hot air rises, the balloon will continue to ascend until it reaches a very
high altitude. At high altitudes, the balloon can get caught in a jet stream,
which will carry the balloon at a much higher speed than the wind at ground level. But when the sun
sets, the balloon loses heat and begins to descend. This is how solar balloons can fly great distances.
So you want to build a solar balloon? You can learn how to do just that on this site. The only supplies you will need to build a solar balloon are:
Solar balloons can be flown for a variety of purposes: for fun, advertisements, aerial photography, releasing, etc. They are great at drawing attention, especially when flown in subdivisions, at parks, etc. When you start out, you may want to tether your balloons to keep them from flying away. One good material to use for tether is monofilament fishing line. It is lightweight yet strong and comes in a few different colors. 
Flourescent green is probably the best color to use, because of
its higher visibility. The pound test (weight at which the line breaks) of the line should be determined
by the size of the balloon. 10-15 lb. test line is good for balloons 8 feet tall and smaller. 20-50 lb.
test line is good for larger balloons which may carry a camera or other payload which you do not want to
lose. Tether can be attached by using several long strips of masking tape (or just 1 or 2 strips of duct tape) stacked together and attached to the mouth
of the ballon along one of the seams. Then you can tie the line to the loop and stick it to the balloon.
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 Search Blastvalve.com - Cool hot air balloon search engine! Solar Balloon LinksCheck out these solar balloon-related links! To have your link added, see the ad & link page.
Attention Webmasters!Want your link or banner ad placed on this page? See our banner/link exchange.Share your ideas!Have any tips, ideas, or experiences you want to share? Post hereView posts
 View/Sign Guestbook NewsletterEnter your email address to recieve news & updates on this site. We respect the privacy of your email address. You won't get any spam from us.Found a balloon?Have you found a balloon with a tag that led you to this site? If so, please let me know here. You do not have to provide your email address, although I would prefer that you did so I can contact you. You will never recieve spam from solar-balloons.com.Click here for reports on found balloons Unique Visitors since January 8 2006 Site Stats
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