U.S. Air Force Manned High Altitude Balloon Projects
In addition to unmanned high altitude balloon research flights, from 1957 to 1962 the U.S. Air Force conducted a series of seven manned high altitude flights. These forward-looking projects investigated the upper reaches of the earth’s atmosphere and laid the foundation for manned spaceflight. Most flights were conducted before rocket booster technology was available to propel a spacecraft into earth’s orbit. In this interim period, to “bridge the gap” while awaiting developments in rocket technology, high altitude balloons were the only vehicles capable of reaching the altitudes required. All three of the USAF manned high altitude balloon projects, Man High, Excelsior, and Stargazer utilized Holloman AFB balloons to transport men to the very edge of space, above approximately 99 per cent of the earth’s atmosphere, a region known as “near space.”
Project Man High. In 1955, a combined effort by the U.S. Air Force Aeromedical Field Laboratory, Winzen Research International, and the Holloman Balloon Branch resulted in the first Air Force manned balloon program. Project Man High, officially known as the Biodynamics of Space Flight, directed by Lt. Col. David Simons (MC), was the first of the three widely publicized manned high altitude balloon programs. The objective of Project Man High was to measure the physiological and psychological capabilities of a human in a space equivalent environment. Many developments of this successful project were later incorporated into the first phase of the U.S. Air Force Man in Space Program nicknamed Man in Space Soonest (MISS). Technology developed for MISS was transferred to NASA in 1959 and became part of Project Mercury, the initial series of U.S. space missions.[167]
Fig. 11. (Left) Test pilot Capt. Joseph W. Kittinger, Jr. just before launch of Man High I at New Brighton, Minn. on June 2, 1957. Kittinger flew in all three USAF high altitude balloon projects and has accumulated more high altitude balloon flying hours than anyone else in the world. (U.S. Air Force photo)
Fig. 12. (Center) Lt. Col. David G. Simons (MC), a physician and pilot of the Man High II high altitude balloon mission, is shown here boarding the recovery helicopter near Frederick, S.D. following the successful flight on August 19, 1957. This flight lasted 33 hours and 10 minutes attaining a peak altitude of 101,500 feet. (U.S. Air Force photo)
Fig. 13. (Right) Holloman AFB Balloon Branch Meteorologist and Engineer, Bernard D. Gildenberg, instructs high altitude balloon pilot 1st Lt. Clifton McClure, pilot of Man High III, in the operation of a low altitude training balloon on May 12, 1959 at Holloman AFB, N.M. (U.S. Air Force photo)
Fig. 14. Project officer and pilot, Capt. Joseph W. Kittinger, Jr., standing beside the Excelsior gondola at Holloman AFB, N.M. On his third and final high altitude parachute jump, from 102,800 feet, he established world records for highest parachute jump and length of free-fall which still stand today. (U.S. Air Force photo)
Project Excelsior. In 1959 and 1960 the U.S. Air Force Aero Medical Laboratory collaborated with the Holloman Balloon Branch for Project Excelsior, the second Air Force manned high altitude balloon program. Excelsior was the dramatic climax of the high altitude free-fall studies that began as Project High Dive in 1953 using anthropomorphic dummies. As the test director for Project Excelsior, Capt. Joseph W. Kittinger, Jr. made three parachute jumps from balloons, Excelsior I, II, and III, from 76,000, 75,000, and a still standing record altitude of 102,800 feet. Excelsior’s scientific objective was to develop a parachute system and techniques required to return a pilot or astronaut to earth following an emergency high altitude escape.
Project Stargazer. Project Stargazer was the third Air Force manned high altitude balloon program. Capt. Joseph W. Kittinger. Jr., the veteran high altitude balloon pilot of Man High and Excelsior, was both the pilot and project engineer. On December 13, 1962, Kittinger and U.S. Navy civilian astronomer William C. White rose to 86,000 feet to make astronomical observations with a gyro-stabilized telescope. A joint U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, Smithsonian Institution, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology program, Stargazer made only one of a scheduled four flights due to budget shortfalls and equipment difficulties.
Fig. 15. Project Stargazer pilot and project engineer, Capt. Joseph W. Kittinger, Jr. (left), after landing near Lordsburg, N.M. on December 13, 1962 with U.S. Navy civilian astronomer William C. White. Kittinger and White ascended to 86,000 feet to make astronomical observations in the seventh, and final, U.S. Air Force manned high altitude balloon flight. (U.S. Air Force photo)
Table 2.4
U.S. Air Force Manned High Altitude Balloon Flights
Date Project/Flight Altitude (feet) Pilot 6/2/57 Man High I 96,200
Capt. Joseph W. Kittinger, Jr. 8/19/57 Man High II 101,500
Lt. Col. David G. Simons (MC) 10/8/58 Man High III 99,700
1st Lt. Clifton McClure 11/16/59 Excelsior I 76,400
Capt. Joseph W. Kittinger, Jr. 12/11/59 Excelsior II 74,700
Capt. Joseph W. Kittinger. Jr. 8/16/60 Excelsior III 102,800
Capt. Joseph W. Kittinger, Jr. 12/13/62 Stargazer 86,000
Capt. Joseph W. Kittinger, Jr. With the completion of Project Stargazer and the success of NASA’s Project Mercury space flights, future investigations were accomplished by space vehicles. This signaled the end of an era of manned high altitude balloon flight; however, these projects had indeed “bridged the gap,” and manned space flight was now safely possible.
| Date | Project/Flight | Altitude (feet) | Pilot |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6/2/57 | Man High I | 96,200 | Capt. Joseph W. Kittinger, Jr. |
| 8/19/57 | Man High II | 101,500 | Lt. Col. David G. Simons (MC) |
| 10/8/58 | Man High III | 99,700 | 1st Lt. Clifton McClure |
| 11/16/59 | Excelsior I | 76,400 | Capt. Joseph W. Kittinger, Jr. |
| 12/11/59 | Excelsior II | 74,700 | Capt. Joseph W. Kittinger. Jr. |
| 8/16/60 | Excelsior III | 102,800 | Capt. Joseph W. Kittinger, Jr. |
| 12/13/62 | Stargazer | 86,000 | Capt. Joseph W. Kittinger, Jr. |
Low Altitude Balloon Training Missions
Background. In April 1958, Col. John P. Stapp, commander of the U.S. Air Force Aero Medical Laboratory at Wright-Patterson AFB, appointed a new project officer for Project Excelsior, Capt. Joseph W. Kittinger, Jr. Excelsior was part of an ongoing program to examine high altitude aircraft escape procedures and equipment.[168] Kittinger was an experienced fighter test pilot who was the pilot of the first Air Force manned high altitude balloon project, Man High I, in June 1957.[169] In addition to being the Excelsior project officer, Kittinger was the pilot and project engineer of Stargazer which also utilized high altitude balloons.
By 1959, Kittinger was an integral part of both Excelsior and Stargazer and one of only three individuals in the Air Force with high altitude balloon pilot experience. Due to the hazardous nature of these important projects, Stapp was concerned that an injury to Kittinger might result in the cancellation of one or both of them. Therefore, Stapp determined there was a need for backup pilots. Selected as backup pilots were Captains Dan D. Fulgham and William C. Kaufman. Both men were rated aircraft pilots, parachutists, and research and development officers assigned to the Aero Medical Laboratory at Wright-Patterson AFB.
During the third week of May 1959, a series of low altitude manned balloon flights were flown to train Fulgham and Kaufman.[170] These flights were launched by the Holloman AFB Balloon Branch. To satisfy safety requirements, the flights were closely monitored by medical personnel at all times. A helicopter with medical personnel followed the flights during daylight hours, a C-131 aircraft followed during hours of darkness, and at all times medical personnel followed in an ambulance.[171] Balloon recovery and communications technicians also followed the missions on the ground in a communications vehicle and a balloon recovery vehicle.[172] The safety requirements were a result of several recent balloon mishaps that resulted in serious injuries to the pilots.
To meet the training schedule, Kittinger, Kaufman and Fulgham were assigned temporary duty (TDY) from the Aero Medical Laboratory at Wright-Patterson AFB to the Balloon Branch at Holloman AFB, N.M.
