Ready for take-off

In a moment, it will be “Blast off!” Jülich climate researchers examine the outer shell of their research balloon one last time before it sets off on its inaugural flight. It is to climb to an altitude of 35 kilometres, right through thunderclouds. The researchers want to find out how thunderstorms influence the climate. For this purpose, devices on the balloon record temperature, ozone content, air pressure, air humidity and aerosol particles. They will send the data to Earth by radio. After a few hours, the balloon will burst, letting the valuable cargo safely return to Earth with a parachute. The flights are part of MOSES, a mobile measurement system for earth observation.