In the early 1990s, NASA test pilot Einar Enevoldson set out to prove that gliders could catch mountain waves and soar to extreme altitudes. With the Perlan Mission, Enevoldson set out with a very ambitious goal: to soar into the stratosphere – the atmospheric layer between the troposphere and the mesosphere. On August 30, 2006, Enevoldson together with record-setter Steve Fossett, flew the Perlan I beyond 50,000 feet, breaking the altitude record for gliders at that time.
Perlan 2 Glider Soars Beyond 76,000 Feet
Key Takeaways:
- The Perlan Mission, initiated by Einar Enevoldson, aims to prove gliders can reach extreme altitudes by catching mountain waves and soaring into the stratosphere.
- On September 3, the Perlan 2 glider achieved a new world altitude record for gliders, soaring to an astonishing 76,124 feet in Argentina.
- This record flight was the highest in a series of recent record-breaking ascents by the Perlan 2, surpassing previous glider records and even the U2 spy plane's altitude.
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