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This device is a radiosonde of the type used by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in the early 1970s to record basic data on Earth's atmosphere--pressure, temperature, relative humidity, and wind direction.

Introduced in the 1930s, the radiosonde is an instrument package attached to a balloon designed to reach the upper atmosphere. As the radiosonde ascends through the atmosphere it collects data and transmits it to a ground station. At high altitude the balloon bursts and the radiosonde (not collecting data) descends via a small parachute. NOAA launched thousands of radiosondes per year to gather a broad sample of data on the Earth's atmosphere.

Typically, about twenty percent of radiosondes are recovered after descending to the ground. On the side of this radiosonde, there are instructions for returning the device to NOAA.

NOAA transferred this artifact to the Museum in 1975.

 Display Status

This object is not on display at the National Air and Space Museum. It is either on loan or in storage.
Object Details
Country of Origin United States of America Type EQUIPMENT-Weather Manufacturer Viz Manufacturing Company
 Dimensions 3-D: 19.1 x 19.1 x 53.3cm (7 1/2 x 7 1/2 x 21 in.)
 Materials Wood
Paint
Plastic
Cardboard
Synthetic Rubber
Cotton
Nylon
Micarta
Tinned Copper Wire
Ink
 Inventory Number A19760965000 Credit Line Transferred from NOAA Data Source National Air and Space Museum Restrictions & Rights Usage conditions apply
For more information, visit the Smithsonians Terms of Use.