An NCAR superpressure balloon in a New Zealand maintenance hangar in the late 1960s is inspected prior to flight. The superpressure balloon project, called Global Horizontal Sounding Technique (GHOST), fulfilled the long-time goal of atmospheric scientists to have a semipermanent platform floating high in the atmosphere. The balloons, electronics, powered by solar calls, transmitted a single Morse Code letter. The repetition of the letter got faster as the Sun's angle increased, enabling people on the ground to track the balloon's position, as well as the speed and direction of the winds pushing the balloon. One GHOST balloon set a record by remaining in orbit for 744 days, circling Earth 63 times. Not in DIL: See Staff Notes article 4/2004.
