Hyderabad: Hyderabad will witness launch of 10 balloon flights for carrying out high-altitude scientific experiments and research under the supervision of Department of Atomic Energy and Indian Space Research Organisation.
Mr B. Suneel Kumar, scientist in-charge of Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), said that the balloons, filled with hydrogen, will take off from the TIFR Balloon Facility near ECIL. The first balloon will be launched in the third week of January, with the remaining going up until April 30 this year.
The balloons, made of thin polyethylene films, have a diameter ranging from 50 metres to 85 metres. They are normally launched between 8 pm and 6.30 am.
They carry scientific instruments up to between 30 km and 42 km into the sky and conduct experiments at these heights for about 10 hours. The instruments then start descending to the ground with the help of large coloured parachutes.
Depending on the prevailing winds during the ascent and descent, balloons may land at points ranging from 200 km to 350 km from Hyderabad. Generally, the balloons will drift along the Visakhapatnam-Hyder-abad-Sholapur line over areas of Andhra Pradesh, North Karnataka and Maharashtra.
Payloads of instruments on the balloons may also land anywhere in Adilabad, Bhadradri Kothagudem, Hyderabad, Jagtial, Jango-an, Jayshankar Bhupal-pally, Jogulamba Gadwal, Kamareddy, Karimnagar, Khammam, Kumuram Bheem, Mahabubabad, Mahabubnagar, Manche-rial, Medak, Medchal-Malkajgiri, Nagarkurnool, Nalgonda, Nirmal, Nizam-abad, Peddapalli, Rajanna Sircilla, Rangareddy, Sang-areddy, Siddipet, Suryapet, Vikarabad, Wanaparthy, Warangal, and Yadadri Bhuvanagiri districts of Telangana state.
The parachutes, with instruments suspended underneath from a long rope of about 20 to 40 metres in length, usually come down to the ground slowly.
Scientist Suneel Kumar has appealed to people, who find the parachutes and instruments, not to move them from their place of landing. They could telephone or send a telegram to the address given on various packages. They may also contact the nearest police station, post office or district authorities for reporting the landing of parachutes and instruments.
The instruments are encased in wooden cages, large aluminium frameworks, or containers for safety. The instruments are extremely sensitive and valuable scientific data will be lost if they are tampered with.
Some of the instruments may carry high voltage, which will be dangerous, but only if their casings are opened.
Otherwise, they are safe and harmless.
On receipt of information from finders, scientists reach the landing spots to collect the equipment. Finders are also suitably rewarded, along with repayment of expenses incurred by them in sending telegrams, making telephone calls, or travelling to convey the information. No reward will be paid if anything is tampered with, the scientist added.
