Flights of Fancy Part 1 Hot Air Balloons

Flights of Fancy, Part 1: Hot Air Balloons Lynne H. Hehr STEM 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 1 st 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 1 st balloon (helium) to cross the Atlantic Ocean • 1981 – Double Eagle V 1 st 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 Top with tissue “lid” Bottom it with straw circle