{"id":5351,"date":"2023-05-01T07:00:24","date_gmt":"2023-05-01T07:00:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dev.aertecsolutions.com\/globos-espia-o-no\/"},"modified":"2026-09-07T00:16:14","modified_gmt":"2026-09-07T00:16:14","slug":"spy-balloons-or-not-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aertecsolutions.com\/en\/blog\/globos-espia-o-no\/","title":{"rendered":"Spy balloons... or not"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Balloons have been used since the 18th century for many civilian and military purposes, and even today, with technology offering many alternatives, they remain a preferred choice for some uses.<\/h5>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For a long time they have been largely unknown or, at the very least, unnoticed by the public. Now, however, in the wake of recent news about the US government's shooting down of a balloon, as well as similar cases in Canada and other countries, many questions are being asked about these aircraft.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">En primer lugar, debemos hacernos una idea sobre el tipo de globos del que estamos hablando. No se trata de los globos aerost\u00e1ticos de recreo que vemos a menudo cruzar nuestros paisajes, sino de otros, m\u00e1s especializados, que operan a alturas considerables. Podemos encontrar informaci\u00f3n detallada sobre ellos en p\u00e1ginas web de la NASA como son <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/scientificballoons\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Scientific balloons<\/a><\/em> and <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.csbf.nasa.gov\/balloons.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility<\/a><\/em>.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These pages provide a classification of balloons for scientific use. They indicate three main categories related to the duration of the flight: <strong>conventional balloons<\/strong>, <strong>long-lasting balloons<\/strong> (LDB = Long Duration Ballooning) and <strong>ultra high durability balloons<\/strong> (ULDB = Ultra Long Duration Ballooning). The first of the three types is the commercial, recreational or transport balloon, with which we are most familiar. However, for the case in point, the most interesting ones are the LDB and ULDB.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">They are considered to be of type LDB when the <strong>flight duration is about 3 weeks<\/strong>. During this time they can cross continents or circumnavigate the globe. These balloons <strong>use electronic systems based on artificial satellites for monitoring and data capture<\/strong>. To qualify as ULDB they must be capable of flight. <strong>up to 100 days<\/strong>They are designed to be pumpkin-shaped and able to withstand significant pressure changes.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These special balloons, which are generally intended for scientific use, are also known as <strong>stratospheric balloons<\/strong> and <strong>can transport payloads at altitudes of up to 40 kilometres<\/strong>, donde la atm\u00f3sfera es muy ligera y los efectos de la gravedad empiezan a reducirse. Esto permite la realizaci\u00f3n de experimentos cient\u00edficos que no son posibles de llevar a cabo en tierra o que ser\u00edan m\u00e1s caros realizar en el espacio para obtener condiciones similares. Para que tengamos una referencia clara sobre lo que significa esa altura, y aunque pueda parecer exagerado, hay que pensar que es casi un tercio de la altura de los sat\u00e9lites artificiales del tipo denominado \u00d3rbita Terrestre Baja (LEO = Low Earth Orbit en ingl\u00e9s). Esta \u00f3rbita baja empieza a 150 km de la superficie terrestre y llega hasta los 2000 km. En esa franja se encuentran la mayor\u00eda de los sat\u00e9lites de observaci\u00f3n, as\u00ed como la Estaci\u00f3n Espacial Internacional o el telescopio espacial \u201cHubble\u201d.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">NASA and other space agencies have been using scientific balloons for many years to carry out scientific balloon missions. <strong>a wide variety of research missions<\/strong>. These range from studying the Earth's atmosphere and climate, to exploring distant planets and galaxies by mounting telescopes on these balloons to take advantage of the less dense and cleaner atmosphere at that altitude (as with mountain observatories, for example). In effect<strong>scientific balloons are an economical and flexible alternative to conventional satellites.<\/strong>The new vehicles can carry much larger, heavier and more complex payloads.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Apart from the flight duration, balloons are also classified according to <strong>according to the different types of scientific experiments<\/strong> that are developed with them. Again taking NASA as a reference, we would have the following:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\r\n<li><strong>High-altitude balloons<\/strong>Scientific balloons: These are the most common scientific balloons used by meteorological agencies in different countries. They are used to study the Earth's atmosphere, climate and solar physics. These balloons can carry payloads of up to four tonnes at altitudes of more than 36 kilometres, allowing scientists to study the Earth's atmosphere and meteorology from a unique perspective. The downed Chinese balloon could be of this type, according to some sources.<\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<li><strong>Circumpolar balloons<\/strong>They are used to study the polar region of the atmosphere and space. They are launched at the North or South Pole and fly around the Pole for several days, allowing scientists to study the aurora borealis and aurora australis, as well as the weather in the polar regions, which has a major impact on the climate of our entire planet.<\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<li><strong>Long-range balloons<\/strong>: Dise\u00f1ados para estudiar regiones remotas del mundo, como el Oc\u00e9ano Pac\u00edfico o el \u00c1rtico. Estos globos pueden volar durante varios d\u00edas y llevar cargas \u00fatiles que miden la temperatura del agua, la salinidad, las turbulencias, lo que permite realizar estudios de oceanograf\u00eda y meteorolog\u00eda en estas regiones donde es complejo mantener una estaci\u00f3n meteorol\u00f3gica.<\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<li><strong>Telescope balloons<\/strong>: Se usan para llevar dispositivos \u00f3pticos o electr\u00f3nicos de observaci\u00f3n astron\u00f3mica y que, como ya hemos comentado anteriormente, evolucionan a alturas de hasta 40 kil\u00f3metros. Dado su emplazamiento, permiten a los cient\u00edficos realizar estudios astron\u00f3micos y astrof\u00edsicos desde una perspectiva a\u00fan mejor que la que se obtiene con los observatorios ubicados en monta\u00f1as aisladas, al evitar los efectos de la atm\u00f3sfera baja y la contaminaci\u00f3n lum\u00ednica. Adem\u00e1s de telescopios convencionales \u00f3pticos, pueden llevar otras cargas \u00fatiles orientadas a medir la radiaci\u00f3n c\u00f3smica, estudiar la composici\u00f3n del universo o la formaci\u00f3n de estrellas y galaxias.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Scientific balloons are not new, but have been around for decades. <strong>an important tool for scientific research<\/strong>The mission will be carried out by the Earth's atmosphere and climate, from studying the Earth's atmosphere and climate to exploring distant planets and galaxies. Given its payload capacity and the <strong>low start-up cost<\/strong>, se pueden adaptar f\u00e1cilmente a diferentes tipos de experimentos cient\u00edficos.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Among the laboratories specialised in this type of balloons, NASA has the facilities of <strong>Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility (CSBF)<\/strong> which is a scientific research centre located in New Mexico (United States), dedicated to the design, construction, launch and operation of scientific balloons for atmospheric and space research.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The CSBF is an agency that is part of NASA and is managed by the agency's Goddard Space Flight Center. The facility is staffed by personnel from multiple disciplines, including engineers, technicians and scientists, and operates the world's largest and most advanced science balloon fleet.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The scientific balloons developed and operated by the CSBF are among the largest officially documented. They have payload capacities ranging from a few hundred kilograms to a few hundred kilograms. <strong>up to more than four tonnes<\/strong>. These balloons are lifted from a specially designed launch pad, which allows for safe operation as well as easy retrieval of payloads after flights.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Un ejemplo poco convencional del uso que se le da a estos globos cient\u00edficos y, sobre todo, su versatilidad, es el caso del proyecto BITSE (Balloon-borne Investigation of Temperature and Speed of Electrons in the corona) Solar Scope, de la NASA, que tiene como objetivo estudiar la capa externa del Sol conocida como la corona solar.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">El proyecto BITSE Solar Scope utiliza un globo de gran altitud para elevar un telescopio especializado a unos 36 kil\u00f3metros de altura sobre la Tierra. El telescopio est\u00e1 dise\u00f1ado para estudiar la corona solar, la capa m\u00e1s externa y menos comprendida de la atm\u00f3sfera del Sol, donde las temperaturas son extremadamente altas y las velocidades de las part\u00edculas son muy r\u00e1pidas. Es capaz de medir la temperatura y la velocidad de los electrones en la corona solar utilizando una t\u00e9cnica llamada espectroscop\u00eda de radio. Esto permite obtener datos de c\u00f3mo la energ\u00eda y el calor se transfieren a trav\u00e9s de la corona y c\u00f3mo las tormentas solares que pueden afectar a la Tierra.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Desde que en 1783 los <strong>hermanos Montgolfier<\/strong> volaron en p\u00fablico su primer globo en Par\u00eds, los usos que se han dado a este tipo de aeronaves han sido muchos, desde el \u00e1mbito civil hasta el militar. Han sido veh\u00edculos para la exploraci\u00f3n, la observaci\u00f3n, el transporte de pasajeros y mercanc\u00edas, para competiciones deportivas, el espionaje o incluso el bombardeo en tiempos de guerra\u2026 y a pesar de que la aparici\u00f3n de los aviones les releg\u00f3 a un segundo plano, han seguido ofreciendo un abanico amplio de usos que llegan hasta nuestros d\u00edas. Incluso algunas de las competiciones m\u00e1s multitudinarias del siglo XX y el actual siguen siendo de globos aerost\u00e1ticos, como es el caso del que ya hemos hablado en este blog sobre la Coupe A\u00e9ronautique Gordon-Bennett, en la que particip\u00f3 F\u00e9lix G\u00f3mez-Guillam\u00f3n (<em><a href=\"https:\/\/aertecsolutions.com\/en\/blog\/don-felix-and-the-coupe-aeronautique-gordon-bennett-2\/\">leer aqu\u00ed<\/a><\/em>).<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Volviendo al caso del globo de origen chino que fue derribado recientemente, hay un hecho que es com\u00fan a todos los globos desde el mismo d\u00eda en que lo inventaron los hermanos Montgolfier y con independencia de su uso, y es que <strong>los globos vuelan hacia donde les lleva el viento<\/strong> (m\u00e1s o menos). Es por ello que, con independencia de la misi\u00f3n para la que estuviera destinado, la falta de control sobre su ruta puede provocar incidentes como el mencionado.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&nbsp;<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&nbsp; Los globos han sido utilizados desde el siglo XVIII para muchos fines tanto civiles como militares, e incluso hoy en d\u00eda en que la tecnolog\u00eda ofrece muchas alternativas, siguen siendo una opci\u00f3n preferente para algunos usos. Durante mucho tiempo han sido grandes desconocidos o, cuanto menos, han pasado desapercibidos para la opini\u00f3n p\u00fablica. Ahora, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":153,"featured_media":5352,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[287,30],"class_list":["post-5351","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","tag-globos","tag-tecnologia"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/aertecsolutions.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5351","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/aertecsolutions.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/aertecsolutions.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aertecsolutions.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/153"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aertecsolutions.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5351"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/aertecsolutions.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5351\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16234,"href":"https:\/\/aertecsolutions.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5351\/revisions\/16234"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aertecsolutions.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5352"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/aertecsolutions.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5351"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aertecsolutions.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5351"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aertecsolutions.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5351"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}