Balloon journey seeks microbes with bioplastics applications

In the United Kingdom, adventurer Sir David Hempleman-Adams is planning a trans-Atlantic hydrogen open gasket balloon journey to, among other things, collect microbes with potential applications in new medicines, biofuels, bioplastics, and agritech.

“Most aeroplanes are all pretty high up in the 30,000 ft (9,144 m) range,” Sir Hempleman-Adams told BBC Wiltshire. “We’ll be flying at about 8,000 ft (2,438 m) so it’ll be completely new atmospheric experiments in that sense.”

The journey will begin in Maine and end somewhere on the other side. American balloon manufacturer, Bert Padelt; Swiss explorer, scientist and entrepreneur, Dr. Frederik Paulsen; and a bottle of Torabhaig Single Malt Whisky will accompany Sir Hempleman-Adams.

And while he has crossed the Atlantic twice in an open basket balloon, this journey will be the first using hydrogen.  “Normally it would be helium,” he said, “but that costs enormous amounts of money. Hydrogen is virtually free so it’s much, much better.”