Before aviator and businessman-explorer Steve Fossett died in 2007, the Perlan I stratospheric glider’s record flight above 50,000 convinced him and his partners, NASA test pilot Einar Enevoldson and meteorologist Elizabeth Austin, that higher altitudes were certainly possible. In the next month or so, the pressurized Perlan 2 plans to make the team’s dream of a flight to at least 90,000 feet a reality, so long as Mother Nature and the aircraft’s specialized onboard equipment all cooperate. Here are a few details.
Airbus Perlan 2 Standing by for Record Flight Attempt
Key Takeaways:
- The Perlan 2 research glider aims to achieve a new altitude record by flying to at least 90,000 feet, building on the success of its predecessor, Perlan 1.
- The glider will launch from southern Argentina, utilizing powerful stratospheric mountain waves formed by winds over the Andes to reach its extreme altitude.
- An onboard high-altitude flight recorder will verify the achieved altitude for confirmation by International Gliding Commission judges to claim the record.
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