Commercial Suborbital Balloon Flight Facility Takes Shape 54
coondoggie writes "The Near Space Corporation this week said it would begin developing a $6.9 million phase of what it says is the first commercial high altitude balloon flight facility in the country. Commercial balloon flights to near space will be launched – though the company didn't say when — from the new facility in Tillamook, Oregon, including several of those reserved through the NASA's Flight Opportunities Program."
Re:Why Tillamook? (Score:5, Informative)
The Tillamook airport also has on old blimp hangar that's big enough to inflate (at least partially) the balloon in. Also, being located on the west coast the prevailing winds will blow a balloon to the east and over the continent rather than over the ocean. Pictures here. [wikipedia.org]
Re:"Suborbital"? (Score:5, Informative)
Orbiting isn't about elevation, it's about velocity. Even if a balloon made it to the altitude of the ISS, for example, it wouldn't be in orbit unless it was traveling at 17,000 MPH, which is the velocity required to orbit at that altitude and inclination.