Skip to main content

Search

My Visit
Donate
Home Smithsonian Institution

Site Navigation

  • Visit
    • Hours and Locations
    • Entry and Guidelines
    • Maps and Floor Plans
    • Dining and Shopping
    • Accessibility
    • Visiting with Kids
    • Group Visits
  • What's On
    • Exhibitions
      • Current Exhibitions
      • Upcoming
      • Past Exhibitions
      • Online Exhibitions
    • Today's Events
    • Online Events
    • All Events
    • IMAX & Planetarium
  • Explore
    • Art & Design
    • History & Culture
    • Science & Conservation
    • Collections
      • Open Access
    • Research Resources
      • Libraries
      • Archives
        • Smithsonian Institution Archives
        • Air and Space Museum
        • Anacostia Community Museum
        • American Art Museum
        • Archives of American Art
        • Archives of American Gardens
        • American History Museum
        • American Indian Museum
        • Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives, African Art
        • Freer and Sackler Archives
        • Hirshhorn Archive
        • National Anthropological Archives
        • National Portrait Gallery
        • Ralph Rinzler Archives, Folklife
        • Libraries' Special Collections
    • Blogs
    • Podcasts
    • Mobile Apps
  • Learn
    • For Kids and Teens
    • For Educators
      • Resources
      • Field Trips
      • Professional Development
      • Events
    • Youth Programs
    • Fellowships and Internships
  • Get Involved
    • Volunteer
      • Behind-the-Scenes
      • Digital Volunteers
      • Smithsonian Call Center
      • Visitor Information Specialist
      • Docent Programs
    • Citizen Science
    • Work with Us
      • Office of Human Resources
        • Working Here
        • Employee Benefits
        • Job Opportunities
        • How to Apply
        • Job Seekers with Disabilities
        • Frequently Asked Questions
        • SI Civil Program
        • Contact Us
      • Affiliations
      • Global Partners
  • Support
    • About Membership
    • Become a Member
    • Renew Your Membership
    • Make a Gift
  • About
    • Museums and Zoo
    • Research Centers
    • Cultural Centers
    • Education
    • Our Organization
      • Leadership
        • Secretary Bunch
        • Advancement
        • Communications
        • Administration
        • Education
        • Museums and Culture
        • Science and Research
      • Board of Regents
        • Members
        • Committees
        • Reading Room
        • Bylaws, Policies and Procedures
        • Contact
        • Schedules and Agendas
        • Meeting Minutes
        • Actions
        • Webcasts
      • General Counsel
        • Legal History
        • Internships
        • Records Requests
          • Records Request Reading Room
        • Tort Claim
        • Subpoenas & Testimonies
        • Events
      • Equal Employment Office
        • EEO Complaint Process
        • Individuals with Disabilities
        • Special Emphasis Program
        • Supplier Diversity Program
          • Doing Business with Us
          • Policies and Procedures
          • Additional Resources
          • Goals and Accomplishments
      • Sponsored Projects
        • Policies
          • Animal Care and Use
          • Human Research
        • Reports
        • Internships
    • Reports and Plans
      • Annual Reports
      • Metrics Dashboard
        • Dashboard Home
        • Virtual Smithsonian
        • Public Engagement
        • National Collections
        • Research
        • People & Operations
        • One Smithsonian
      • Strategic Plan
    • Newsdesk
      • News Releases
      • Media Contacts
      • Photos and Video
      • Media Kits
      • Fact Sheets
      • Visitor Stats
      • Secretary and Admin Bios
      • Filming Requests

Cabin, "EXPLORER II"

National Air and Space Museum
Social Media Share Tools
    • Print

Object Details

Physical Description
Ball shape; black & white paint; canvas ballast bags; "National Geographic Society & U.S. Army Air Corps" on side.
Summary
Launched on November 11, 1935, from the Stratobowl near Rapid City, South Dakota, Explorer II carried Captain Albert Stevens, Captain Orvil Anderson, and an assortment of instruments to a world record altitude of 22,066 meters (72,395 feet).
Explorer was the brainchild of Captain Stevens, Chief of the Army Air Corps’ photography laboratory at Wright Field, Ohio. With funding from the National Geographic Society, he and two crew members attempted a world altitude-record flight in 1934 with Explorer I. The flight ended in disaster when the balloon ripped shortly after launch, and its hydrogen mixed with air and exploded. After a harrowing few moments while Stevens had trouble escaping through the manhole, he and his two fellow aeronauts parachuted to safety.
For the next attempt, in Explorer II, the portholes were widened for easier escape, and the balloon was filled with helium. To ensure that it attained a record altitude, the balloon was enlarged, the crew was cut from three to two, and its scientific payload was halved.
Like Explorer I, Explorer II was constructed of welded magnesium/aluminum alloy sections. The 2.8 meter (9 foot) sphere weighed 290 kilograms (640 pounds) and carried a payload of 700 kilograms (1,500 pounds). The balloon lifted off at 7:01 am, reached its maximum height of 22 kilometers at 10:50 am and remained there until 12:20 pm. Then it began its descent and touched down at 3:14 pm near White Lake, South Dakota.
One of the flight’s most dramatic successes was the aerial photography: the first photographs showing the division between the troposphere and the stratosphere and the actual curvature of the earth from the record altitude. Captain Stevens’ cameras captured stunning photographs of South Dakota and surrounding states, and demonstrated the potential of high-altitude, long-range reconnaissance from manned balloons.
Although the scientific experiments were reduced from the original plans, Explorer II carried instruments that collected data for studies in cosmic ray research, the ozone layer, aeronomy, meteorology, biology, and radio propagation in the high atmosphere.
The National Geographic Magazine devoted several articles to the flight, widely disseminating the photographic, scientific, and engineering accomplishments to the general public. The flight was a public relations success for the Army and the National Geographic Society, and was also a successful venture between government, military, and civilian scientific interests.
Long Description
Launched on November 11, 1935, from the Stratobowl near Rapid City, South Dakota, Explorer II carried Captain Albert Stevens, Captain Orvil Anderson, and an assortment of instruments to a world record altitude of 22,066 meters (72,395 feet).
Explorer was the brainchild of Captain Stevens, Chief of the Army Air Corps’ photography laboratory at Wright Field, Ohio. With funding from the National Geographic Society, he and two crew members, Anderson and Major William Kepner, attempted a world altitude-record flight in 1934 with Explorer I. The flight ended in disaster when the balloon ripped and its hydrogen mixed with air and exploded. After a harrowing few moments while Stevens had trouble escaping through the small hatch, he and his two fellow aeronauts parachuted to safety.
For the next attempt, in Explorer II, the portholes were widened for easier escape, and the balloon was filled with helium. To ensure that it attained a record altitude, the balloon was enlarged, the crew was cut from three to two, and its scientific payload was halved.
Like Explorer I, Explorer II was constructed of welded magnesium/aluminum alloy sections. The 2.8 meter (9 foot) sphere weighed 290 kilograms (640 pounds) and carried a payload of 700 kilograms (1,500 pounds). The balloon lifted off at 7:01 am, reached its maximum height of 22 kilometers at 10:50 am and remained there until 12:20 pm. Then it began its descent and touched down at 3:14 pm near White Lake, South Dakota.
One of the flight’s most dramatic successes was the aerial photography: the first photographs showing the division between the troposphere and the stratosphere and the actual curvature of the earth from the record altitude. Captain Stevens’ cameras captured stunning photographs of South Dakota and surrounding states, and demonstrated the potential of high-altitude, long-range reconnaissance from manned balloons.
Although the scientific experiments were reduced from the original plans, Explorer II carried instruments that collected data for studies in cosmic ray research, the ozone layer, aeronomy, meteorology, biology, and radio propagation in the high atmosphere.
The National Geographic Magazine devoted several articles to the flight, widely disseminating the photographic, scientific, and engineering accomplishments to the general public. The flight was a public relations success for the Army and the National Geographic Society, and was also a successful venture between government, military, and civilian scientific interests.
Credit Line
National Geographic Society
Inventory Number
A19370060000
Restrictions & Rights
CC0
Type
CRAFT-Balloon
Materials
Ballast bags-canvas
Dimensions
3-D: 274.3 × 411.5cm, 303.9kg (9 ft. × 13 ft. 6 in., 670lb.)
Country of Origin
United States of America
See more items in
National Air and Space Museum Collection
National Air and Space Museum
Record ID
nasm_A19370060000
Metadata Usage (text)
CC0
GUID (Link to Original Record)
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/nv962f5bc1e-7582-4a73-9bf1-6c2ffbb87ecf

Related Content

  • Aircraft

    Air and Space Museum
Ball-shaped metal balloon cabin with many canvas ballast bags hanging around center
This image is in the public domain (free of copyright restrictions). You can copy, modify, and distribute this work without contacting the Smithsonian. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Open Access page.
International media Interoperability Framework
IIIF provides researchers rich metadata and media viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. Visit the IIIF page to learn more.
View manifest View in Mirador Viewer
Ball-shaped metal balloon cabin with many canvas ballast bags hanging around center
Ball-shaped metal balloon cabin with many canvas ballast bags hanging around center

Footer logo

Link to homepage

Footer navigation

  • Contact Us
  • Press Room
  • Human Resources
  • Host Your Event
  • Access Smithsonian
  • EEO & Supplier Diversity
  • Inspector General
  • Records Requests
  • Privacy
  • Terms of Use

Social media links

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Email signup form

Email powered by BlackBaud (Privacy Policy, Terms of Use)
Back to Top