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Malcolm Ross (balloonist)
Encyclopedia
Malcolm D. Ross was a Captain in the United States Naval Reserve (USNR)
, an atmospheric scientist, and a balloonist
who set several records for altitude
and scientific inquiry, with more than 100 hours flight time in gas balloon
s by 1961. Along with Lieutenant Commander Victor A. Prather
(USN
), he set the current altitude record for a manned balloon flight, which has not been broken since 1961.
, Illinois
, the son of Mr. and Mrs. J. R. Ross of 1825 Garden Street, West Lafayette, Indiana
. He spent most of his early life in West Lafayette. He graduated from Linden High School in Montgomery County, Indiana, in 1936. Malcolm Ross received a scholarship to attend Purdue University
to study civil engineering
. While at Purdue, he worked at the campus radio station as a sports announcer
and changed his major to creative writing
, communication
, and radio
. However, Malcolm Ross graduated from Purdue in June 1941 with a BS in physics
. After college, he married his high school sweetheart, Marjorie Martin, and took broadcasting
jobs in Anderson
, Chicago
, and Indianapolis
.
In January 1943, Ross was commissioned as an Ensign
in the United States Naval Reserve. After he completed two months training at the Quonset Point Naval Air Station
in Rhode Island
, the Navy sent him to graduate school
for nine months training
in physics
and general meteorology
at the University of Chicago
. In June 1944, he completed the training with a professional certificate in meteorology and atmospheric science
.
The Navy initially assigned Ross to the Fleet Weather Center at Pearl Harbor
. Later he served as the aerology officer aboard the USS Saratoga
while it was flying missions
against Tokyo
and Iwo Jima
in the Pacific Ocean theater of World War II
, from 1944 to 1945. Ross received a campaign star
in his Pacific Theater Ribbon
for the first carrier
plane strike at Tokyo in February 1945 and for the Iwo Jima Invasion
.
After World War II ended, Ross was released from the military. He returned to civilian
life and opened an advertising agency
in Pasadena
, California
, where his wife, Marjorie, had moved during World War II. Marjorie worked in the agency as the office manager
. The business continued successfully until June 1950, when Ross was recalled to active duty
as a Lieutenant
in the United States Naval Reserve for the Korean War
. Initially, Malcolm Ross was stationed as an instructor in radiological defense for the Naval Damage Control Training Center at Treasure Island, in San Francisco
. From there he was able to commute home during weekends to spend time with his family and maintain the advertising business. This came to an end when in 1951 the Navy reassigned Ross to work as the liaison officer
for the Office of Naval Research
in Minneapolis
.
The Navy's unmanned balloon program, Project Skyhook
, was based in Minneapolis, which was also a center of balloon research and development being carried out by the University of Minnesota
and General Mills
. In 1953, Ross was transferred to the air branch of the Office of Naval Research (ONR)
in Washington, D.C.
as Balloon Projects Director. In this position, he began to direct high-altitude balloon projects to obtain cosmic ray
and meteorological
data with the Project Skyhook program, working with Ruby Ward as the contracts negotiator of the ONR. Ross was technical director for Project Churchy, an expedition to the Galápagos Islands
to obtain cosmic ray and meteorological data from balloon flights. He arranged for balloon launchings at Goodfellow Air Force Base
in 1954 and 1955. He was a member of the scientific group that launched balloons for the ONR at Saskatoon, Canada
, and photographed the 1954 eclipse of the sun
from a Skyhook balloon over Minneapolis.
During his tour as ONR's Balloon Projects Officer, Ross initiated the Navy's manned balloon program Project Strato-Lab in 1954. The Strato-Lab program utilized the new plastic high-altitude balloons for upper atmosphere research. At this time, Ross became the first active duty military officer qualified and licensed as a free balloon pilot
based solely on plastic balloon experience. Ross went on inactive duty
in 1955 as a Lieutenant Commander
(USNR). As a physicist in the Air Branch of the ONR, Ross specialized in the physics of the upper atmosphere and participated in Strato-Lab flights both as a civilian and as a naval officer. As the key participant in Project Strato-Lab, he spent more than 100 hours with scientists and other balloonists making observations in the stratosphere
. At the time of the record-setting flight in 1961, Malcolm Ross was a Commander in the Naval Reserve.
In 1957, Ross received the Navy League's
newly established Rear Admiral William S. Parsons Award for Scientific and Technical Progress, and the Navy's Meritorious Civilian Service Award
. In 1958, jointly with Lt. Commander Lewis, he received the Harmon International Trophy (Aeronaut)
for the November 8, 1956, record-breaking flight (see below). In 1962, jointly with Victor Prather
, he received the Harmon Trophy again for the current record-holding flight in 1961 to 21.5 miles (34.6 km). Ross never flew in balloons again after the 1961 flight, although he continued to advocate using balloons as relatively inexpensive platforms for scientific investigations.
Malcolm Ross retired from the US Naval Reserve as a Captain on July 1, 1973. After leaving the Office of Naval Research, Malcolm Ross worked in space research
at General Motors
. Later on he became a stock brokerage executive for Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner and Smith, Inc.
and served as assistant vice president and account executive at the Bloomfield Hills
branch. Malcolm Ross died at home in Birmingham, Michigan
, and is buried at the Arlington National Cemetery
.
United States Navy Reserve
The United States Navy Reserve, until 2005 known as the United States Naval Reserve, is the Reserve Component of the United States Navy...
, an atmospheric scientist, and a balloonist
Balloon (aircraft)
A balloon is a type of aircraft that remains aloft due to its buoyancy. A balloon travels by moving with the wind. It is distinct from an airship, which is a buoyant aircraft that can be propelled through the air in a controlled manner....
who set several records for altitude
Altitude
Altitude or height is defined based on the context in which it is used . As a general definition, altitude is a distance measurement, usually in the vertical or "up" direction, between a reference datum and a point or object. The reference datum also often varies according to the context...
and scientific inquiry, with more than 100 hours flight time in gas balloon
Gas balloon
A gas balloon is any balloon that stays aloft due to being filled with a gas less dense than air or lighter than air . A gas balloon may also be called a Charlière for its inventor, the Frenchman Jacques Charles. Today, familiar gas balloons include large blimps and small rubber party balloons...
s by 1961. Along with Lieutenant Commander Victor A. Prather
Victor Prather
Lieutenant Commander Victor A. Prather Jr. was an American flight surgeon famous for taking part in "Project RAM", a government project to develop the space suit.-Life:...
(USN
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
), he set the current altitude record for a manned balloon flight, which has not been broken since 1961.
Life
Malcolm Ross was born on October 15, 1919 in MomenceMomence, Illinois
Momence is a city in Kankakee County, Illinois, United States. The population was 3,171 at the 2000 census, and 3,063 in 2009. It is part of the Kankakee–Bradley Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Chicago–Naperville–Michigan City, IL-IN-WI Combined Statistical...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, the son of Mr. and Mrs. J. R. Ross of 1825 Garden Street, West Lafayette, Indiana
West Lafayette, Indiana
As of the census of 2010, there were 29,596 people, 12,591 households, and 3,588 families residing in the city. The population density was 5,381.1 people per square mile . The racial makeup of the city was 74.3% White, 17.3% Asian, 2.7% African American, 0.16% Native American, 0.03% Pacific...
. He spent most of his early life in West Lafayette. He graduated from Linden High School in Montgomery County, Indiana, in 1936. Malcolm Ross received a scholarship to attend Purdue University
Purdue University
Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six-campus Purdue University system. Purdue was founded on May 6, 1869, as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and...
to study civil engineering
Civil engineering
Civil engineering is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including works like roads, bridges, canals, dams, and buildings...
. While at Purdue, he worked at the campus radio station as a sports announcer
Sports commentator
In sports broadcasting, a commentator gives a running commentary of a game or event in real time, usually during a live broadcast. The comments are normally a voiceover, with the sounds of the action and spectators also heard in the background. In the case of television commentary, the commentator...
and changed his major to creative writing
Creative writing
Creative writing is considered to be any writing, fiction, poetry, or non-fiction, that goes outside the bounds of normal professional, journalistic, academic, and technical forms of literature. Works which fall into this category include novels, epics, short stories, and poems...
, communication
Communication
Communication is the activity of conveying meaningful information. Communication requires a sender, a message, and an intended recipient, although the receiver need not be present or aware of the sender's intent to communicate at the time of communication; thus communication can occur across vast...
, and radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
. However, Malcolm Ross graduated from Purdue in June 1941 with a BS in physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
. After college, he married his high school sweetheart, Marjorie Martin, and took broadcasting
Broadcasting
Broadcasting is the distribution of audio and video content to a dispersed audience via any audio visual medium. Receiving parties may include the general public or a relatively large subset of thereof...
jobs in Anderson
Anderson, Indiana
Anderson is a city in and the county seat of Madison County, Indiana, United States. It is the principal city of the Anderson, Indiana Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses Madison county. Anderson is the headquarters of the Church of God and home of Anderson University, which is...
, Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, and Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
.
In January 1943, Ross was commissioned as an Ensign
Ensign (rank)
Ensign is a junior rank of a commissioned officer in the armed forces of some countries, normally in the infantry or navy. As the junior officer in an infantry regiment was traditionally the carrier of the ensign flag, the rank itself acquired the name....
in the United States Naval Reserve. After he completed two months training at the Quonset Point Naval Air Station
Naval Air Station Quonset Point
Naval Air Station Quonset Point was a United States Naval Base in Quonset Point, Rhode Island that was deactivated in 1974. Next to NAS Quonset Point was Camp Endicott at Davisville, home of the Naval Construction Battalions known as the Seabees. Quonset Point also gave its name to the Quonset hut,...
in Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
, the Navy sent him to graduate school
Graduate school
A graduate school is a school that awards advanced academic degrees with the general requirement that students must have earned a previous undergraduate degree...
for nine months training
Training
The term training refers to the acquisition of knowledge, skills, and competencies as a result of the teaching of vocational or practical skills and knowledge that relate to specific useful competencies. It forms the core of apprenticeships and provides the backbone of content at institutes of...
in physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
and general meteorology
Meteorology
Meteorology is the interdisciplinary scientific study of the atmosphere. Studies in the field stretch back millennia, though significant progress in meteorology did not occur until the 18th century. The 19th century saw breakthroughs occur after observing networks developed across several countries...
at the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
. In June 1944, he completed the training with a professional certificate in meteorology and atmospheric science
Atmospheric sciences
Atmospheric sciences is an umbrella term for the study of the atmosphere, its processes, the effects other systems have on the atmosphere, and the effects of the atmosphere on these other systems. Meteorology includes atmospheric chemistry and atmospheric physics with a major focus on weather...
.
The Navy initially assigned Ross to the Fleet Weather Center at Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
. Later he served as the aerology officer aboard the USS Saratoga
USS Saratoga (CV-3)
USS Saratoga was the second aircraft carrier of the United States Navy and the fifth ship to bear her name. She was commissioned one month earlier than her sister and class leader, , which is the third actually commissioned after and Saratoga...
while it was flying missions
Military operation
Military operation is the coordinated military actions of a state in response to a developing situation. These actions are designed as a military plan to resolve the situation in the state's favor. Operations may be of combat or non-combat types, and are referred to by a code name for the purpose...
against Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
and Iwo Jima
Iwo Jima
Iwo Jima, officially , is an island of the Japanese Volcano Islands chain, which lie south of the Ogasawara Islands and together with them form the Ogasawara Archipelago. The island is located south of mainland Tokyo and administered as part of Ogasawara, one of eight villages of Tokyo...
in the Pacific Ocean theater of World War II
Pacific Ocean theater of World War II
The Pacific Ocean theatre was one of four major naval theatres of war of World War II, which pitted the forces of Japan against those of the United States, the British Commonwealth, the Netherlands and France....
, from 1944 to 1945. Ross received a campaign star
Service star
A service star, also referred to as a battle star, campaign star, or engagement star, is an attachment to a United States military decoration which denotes participation in military campaigns or multiple bestowals of the same award. Service stars are typically issued for campaign medals, service...
in his Pacific Theater Ribbon
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
The Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal is a service decoration of the Second World War which was awarded to any member of the United States military who served in the Pacific Theater from 1941 to 1945 and was created on November 6, 1942 by issued by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The medal was...
for the first carrier
Aircraft carrier
An aircraft carrier is a warship designed with a primary mission of deploying and recovering aircraft, acting as a seagoing airbase. Aircraft carriers thus allow a naval force to project air power worldwide without having to depend on local bases for staging aircraft operations...
plane strike at Tokyo in February 1945 and for the Iwo Jima Invasion
Battle of Iwo Jima
The Battle of Iwo Jima , or Operation Detachment, was a major battle in which the United States fought for and captured the island of Iwo Jima from the Empire of Japan. The U.S...
.
After World War II ended, Ross was released from the military. He returned to civilian
Civilian
A civilian under international humanitarian law is a person who is not a member of his or her country's armed forces or other militia. Civilians are distinct from combatants. They are afforded a degree of legal protection from the effects of war and military occupation...
life and opened an advertising agency
Advertising agency
An advertising agency or ad agency is a service business dedicated to creating, planning and handling advertising for its clients. An ad agency is independent from the client and provides an outside point of view to the effort of selling the client's products or services...
in Pasadena
Pasadena, California
Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Although famous for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game and Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena is the home to many scientific and cultural institutions, including the California Institute of Technology , the Jet...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, where his wife, Marjorie, had moved during World War II. Marjorie worked in the agency as the office manager
Office management
Office manager is a profession related to office supervisory positions.People that hold office management positions conduct special studies and based on the results of these special studies, they develop reports. Apart from developing reports, they also provide input to management on the...
. The business continued successfully until June 1950, when Ross was recalled to active duty
Active duty
Active duty refers to a full-time occupation as part of a military force, as opposed to reserve duty.-Pakistan:The Pakistan Armed Forces are one of the largest active service forces in the world with almost 610,000 full time personnel due to the complex and volatile nature of Pakistan's...
as a Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
in the United States Naval Reserve for the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
. Initially, Malcolm Ross was stationed as an instructor in radiological defense for the Naval Damage Control Training Center at Treasure Island, in San Francisco
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
. From there he was able to commute home during weekends to spend time with his family and maintain the advertising business. This came to an end when in 1951 the Navy reassigned Ross to work as the liaison officer
Liaison officer
A liaison officer or LNO is a person that liaises between two organizations to communicate and coordinate their activities. Generally, they are used to achieve the best utilization of resources or employment of services of one organization by another. In the military, liaison officers may...
for the Office of Naval Research
Office of Naval Research
The Office of Naval Research , headquartered in Arlington, Virginia , is the office within the United States Department of the Navy that coordinates, executes, and promotes the science and technology programs of the U.S...
in Minneapolis
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
.
The Navy's unmanned balloon program, Project Skyhook
Skyhook balloon
Skyhook balloons were balloons developed by Otto C. Winzen and General Mills, Inc., and used by the United States Navy Office of Naval Research in the late 1940s and in the 1950s for atmospheric research, especially for constant-level meteorological observations at very high altitudes...
, was based in Minneapolis, which was also a center of balloon research and development being carried out by the University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
and General Mills
General Mills
General Mills, Inc. is an American Fortune 500 corporation, primarily concerned with food products, which is headquartered in Golden Valley, Minnesota, a suburb of Minneapolis. The company markets many well-known brands, such as Betty Crocker, Yoplait, Colombo, Totinos, Jeno's, Pillsbury, Green...
. In 1953, Ross was transferred to the air branch of the Office of Naval Research (ONR)
Office of Naval Research
The Office of Naval Research , headquartered in Arlington, Virginia , is the office within the United States Department of the Navy that coordinates, executes, and promotes the science and technology programs of the U.S...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
as Balloon Projects Director. In this position, he began to direct high-altitude balloon projects to obtain cosmic ray
Cosmic ray
Cosmic rays are energetic charged subatomic particles, originating from outer space. They may produce secondary particles that penetrate the Earth's atmosphere and surface. The term ray is historical as cosmic rays were thought to be electromagnetic radiation...
and meteorological
Meteorology
Meteorology is the interdisciplinary scientific study of the atmosphere. Studies in the field stretch back millennia, though significant progress in meteorology did not occur until the 18th century. The 19th century saw breakthroughs occur after observing networks developed across several countries...
data with the Project Skyhook program, working with Ruby Ward as the contracts negotiator of the ONR. Ross was technical director for Project Churchy, an expedition to the Galápagos Islands
Galápagos Islands
The Galápagos Islands are an archipelago of volcanic islands distributed around the equator in the Pacific Ocean, west of continental Ecuador, of which they are a part.The Galápagos Islands and its surrounding waters form an Ecuadorian province, a national park, and a...
to obtain cosmic ray and meteorological data from balloon flights. He arranged for balloon launchings at Goodfellow Air Force Base
Goodfellow Air Force Base
Goodfellow Air Force Base is a non-flying United States Air Force base located in San Angelo, Texas. As part of Air Education & Training Command , Goodfellow's main mission is cryptologic and intelligence training for the Air Force, Army, Navy and Marine Corps. Military firefighters are also...
in 1954 and 1955. He was a member of the scientific group that launched balloons for the ONR at Saskatoon, Canada
Saskatoon
Saskatoon is a city in central Saskatchewan, Canada, on the South Saskatchewan River. Residents of the city of Saskatoon are called Saskatonians. The city is surrounded by the Rural Municipality of Corman Park No. 344....
, and photographed the 1954 eclipse of the sun
Solar eclipse of June 30, 1954
A total solar eclipse occurred on June 30, 1954. Totality began at sunrise over the United States over Nebraska, South Dakota, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, and crossed into Canada, across southern Greenland, and Iceland, then into Europe, across Sweden, Norway, and eastern Europe...
from a Skyhook balloon over Minneapolis.
During his tour as ONR's Balloon Projects Officer, Ross initiated the Navy's manned balloon program Project Strato-Lab in 1954. The Strato-Lab program utilized the new plastic high-altitude balloons for upper atmosphere research. At this time, Ross became the first active duty military officer qualified and licensed as a free balloon pilot
Balloon Pilot Badge
The Balloon Pilot Badge is a military badge of the United States Armed Forces which was issued during the First and Second World Wars. The badge was issued by both the United States Army and the U.S...
based solely on plastic balloon experience. Ross went on inactive duty
Individual Ready Reserve
The Individual Ready Reserve is a category of the Ready Reserve of the Reserve Component of the Armed Forces of the United States composed of former active duty or reserve military personnel, and is authorized under...
in 1955 as a Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander...
(USNR). As a physicist in the Air Branch of the ONR, Ross specialized in the physics of the upper atmosphere and participated in Strato-Lab flights both as a civilian and as a naval officer. As the key participant in Project Strato-Lab, he spent more than 100 hours with scientists and other balloonists making observations in the stratosphere
Stratosphere
The stratosphere is the second major layer of Earth's atmosphere, just above the troposphere, and below the mesosphere. It is stratified in temperature, with warmer layers higher up and cooler layers farther down. This is in contrast to the troposphere near the Earth's surface, which is cooler...
. At the time of the record-setting flight in 1961, Malcolm Ross was a Commander in the Naval Reserve.
In 1957, Ross received the Navy League's
Navy League of the United States
The Navy League of the United States, commonly referred to as The Navy League, is a national association made up of former members of the United States Navy, United States Marine Corps, the United States Coast Guard and the United States Merchant Marine, and civilians interested in supporting the...
newly established Rear Admiral William S. Parsons Award for Scientific and Technical Progress, and the Navy's Meritorious Civilian Service Award
Meritorious Civilian Service Award
The Meritorious Civilian Service Award is commonly the second highest award and medal provided to civilian employees within agencies of the federal government of the United States...
. In 1958, jointly with Lt. Commander Lewis, he received the Harmon International Trophy (Aeronaut)
Harmon Trophy
The Harmon Trophy is a set of three international trophies, to be awarded annually to the world's outstanding aviator, aviatrix , and aeronaut...
for the November 8, 1956, record-breaking flight (see below). In 1962, jointly with Victor Prather
Victor Prather
Lieutenant Commander Victor A. Prather Jr. was an American flight surgeon famous for taking part in "Project RAM", a government project to develop the space suit.-Life:...
, he received the Harmon Trophy again for the current record-holding flight in 1961 to 21.5 miles (34.6 km). Ross never flew in balloons again after the 1961 flight, although he continued to advocate using balloons as relatively inexpensive platforms for scientific investigations.
The balloon projects, which could make major contributions to our overall space program, have received pitifully small financial support. And actually, as programs go, they are an extremely inexpensive means to proceed with the acquisition of basic information, which we need. There are definite scientific objectives that balloons can accomplish for, perhaps, $100,000 that a satellite, costing millions, cannot do as well.
Malcolm Ross retired from the US Naval Reserve as a Captain on July 1, 1973. After leaving the Office of Naval Research, Malcolm Ross worked in space research
Space research
Space research is scientific studies carried out using scientific equipment in outer space. It includes the use of space technology for a broad spectrum of research disciplines, including Earth science, materials science, biology, medicine, and physics...
at General Motors
General Motors
General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
. Later on he became a stock brokerage executive for Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner and Smith, Inc.
Merrill Lynch
Merrill Lynch is the wealth management division of Bank of America. With over 15,000 financial advisors and $2.2 trillion in client assets it is the world's largest brokerage. Formerly known as Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc., prior to 2009 the firm was publicly owned and traded on the New York...
and served as assistant vice president and account executive at the Bloomfield Hills
Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
Bloomfield Hills is a city in Oakland County of the U.S. state of Michigan, northwest of downtown Detroit. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 3,869...
branch. Malcolm Ross died at home in Birmingham, Michigan
Birmingham, Michigan
Birmingham is a city in Oakland County of the U.S. state of Michigan and an affluent suburb of Detroit. As of the 2010 census, the population was 20,103...
, and is buried at the Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, is a military cemetery in the United States of America, established during the American Civil War on the grounds of Arlington House, formerly the estate of the family of Confederate general Robert E. Lee's wife Mary Anna Lee, a great...
.
Balloon Flights
The following table describes Malcolm Ross's balloon flights.| Date | Altitude | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| August 10, 1956 | 40000 feet (12,192 m) | With Lieutenant Commander M. L. Lewis (United States Navy United States Navy The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S... ), made the first stratospheric manned flight on an Office of Naval Research Office of Naval Research The Office of Naval Research , headquartered in Arlington, Virginia , is the office within the United States Department of the Navy that coordinates, executes, and promotes the science and technology programs of the U.S... Strato-Lab polyethylene balloon. The purpose of this flight was to study airplane vapor trails. |
| November 8, 1956 | 76000 feet (23,164.8 m) | With Lieutenant Commander M. L. Lewis (USN), established a world altitude record in the plastic ONR Office of Naval Research The Office of Naval Research , headquartered in Arlington, Virginia , is the office within the United States Department of the Navy that coordinates, executes, and promotes the science and technology programs of the U.S... 56,634 cubic meter Strato-Lab High I balloon, breaking the 21-year old record set by Explorer II. They took off at 6:19 AM from South Dakota's Stratobowl Stratobowl The Stratobowl is a compact natural depression within the limits of Black Hills National Forest in South Dakota, south-west of Rapid City. In 1934–1935 it housed a stratospheric balloon launch site, initially known as Stratocamp, sponsored by the National Geographic Society and the United States... , a natural depression shielded by 500 foot (150 m) hills near Rapid City Rapid City, South Dakota Rapid City is the second-largest city in the U.S. state of South Dakota, and the county seat of Pennington County. Named after Rapid Creek on which the city is established, it is set against the eastern slope of the Black Hills mountain range. The population was 67,956 as of the 2010 Census. Rapid... . They landed four hours and four minutes later, after drifting 175 miles (281.6 km), 18 miles (29 km) southwest of Kennedy, Nebraska. The flight broke the previous altitude record of 72394 feet (22,065.7 m) set in 1935 by O.A. Anderson and A.W. Stevens, who also took off from the Stratobowl. The flight was punctuated by a 14 and 1/3 mile plunge from their flight ceiling after an automatic valve malfunctioned and released gas from the balloon. They were able to slow their descent and make a safe landing by dumping all 300 pounds of ballast along with 200 pounds of equipment. The purpose of the flight was to gather meteorological, cosmic ray, and other scientific data necessary to improve safety at high altitudes. This was the first time that the sky overhead was seen as black. It also demonstrated the feasibility of man-carrying stratospheric balloon flights using light and relatively inexpensive polyethelene plastic balloons. The Strato-Lab I balloon was 128 feet (39 m) in diameter and, including valves, weighed 595 pounds (269.9 kg). The previous 1935 record-breaking flight used a rubberized-cotton envelope that was 192 feet (58.5 m) in diameter and weighed 5916 pounds (2,683.5 kg). For this record ascent, the balloonists were awarded the 1956 Harmon Trophy Harmon Trophy The Harmon Trophy is a set of three international trophies, to be awarded annually to the world's outstanding aviator, aviatrix , and aeronaut... for Aeronauts. |
| June 27, 1957 | With atmospheric physicist Charles B. Moore Charles B. Moore Charles B. Moore, Jr. was an American physicist, engineer and meteorologist, known for his work with gas balloons... , successfully ascended in a Strato-Lab balloon from the top of Mount Withington San Mateo Mountains (Socorro County, New Mexico) The San Mateo Mountains are a small mountain range in Socorro County, in west-central New Mexico in the southwestern United States. The highest point in the range is West Blue Mountain, at 10,336 ft . The range runs roughly north-south and is about 40 miles long... , near Socorro, New Mexico Socorro, New Mexico Socorro is a city in Socorro County in the U.S. state of New Mexico. It stands in the Rio Grande Valley at an elevation of . The population was 9,051 at the 2010 census... , into a cumulus cloud Cumulus cloud Cumulus clouds are a type of cloud with noticeable vertical development and clearly defined edges. Cumulus means "heap" or "pile" in Latin. They are often described as "puffy" or "cotton-like" in appearance. Cumulus clouds may appear alone, in lines, or in clusters... to investigate the interior of a thunderstorm Thunderstorm A thunderstorm, also known as an electrical storm, a lightning storm, thundershower or simply a storm is a form of weather characterized by the presence of lightning and its acoustic effect on the Earth's atmosphere known as thunder. The meteorologically assigned cloud type associated with the... . The flight was the first of a series conducted during the summer under the sponsorship of the Office of Naval Research Office of Naval Research The Office of Naval Research , headquartered in Arlington, Virginia , is the office within the United States Department of the Navy that coordinates, executes, and promotes the science and technology programs of the U.S... and the Bureau of Aeronautics Bureau of Aeronautics The Bureau of Aeronautics was the U.S. Navy's material-support organization for Naval Aviation from 1921 to 1959. The bureau had "cognizance" for the design, procurement, and support of Naval aircraft and related systems... . |
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| October 18, 1957 | 85700 feet (26,121.4 m) | With Lieutenant Commander M. L. Lewis (USN), made a 10-hour flight into the stratosphere. The balloonists carried equipment to photograph Sputnik, but were unable to make visual contact with the Soviet Soviet Union The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991.... space satellite. The Air Force program, Project Manhigh Project Manhigh Project Manhigh along with Project Excelsior was a pre-Space Age military project that took men in balloons to the middle layers of the Earth’s stratosphere.-History:... , had by this time reached 101516 feet (30,942.1 m) feet, but Ross and Lewis ascended to an unofficial two-man altitude record of 85700 feet (26,121.4 m) feet in a Strato-Lab High II balloon. The flight lasted 10 hours. |
| May 6, 1958 – May 7, 1958 | 40000 feet (12,192 m) | With Alfred H. Mikesell (United States Naval Observatory United States Naval Observatory The United States Naval Observatory is one of the oldest scientific agencies in the United States, with a primary mission to produce Positioning, Navigation, and Timing for the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Department of Defense... ), ascended in an open gondola under a 72 foot (22 m) diameter polyethylene balloon at 8:01 PM CDT from the Mangnan-Joann open pit mine, near Ironton, Minnesota Ironton, Minnesota As of the census of 2000, there were 498 people, 231 households, and 130 families residing in the city. The population density was 333.2 people per square mile . There were 263 housing units at an average density of 176.0 per square mile . The racial makeup of the city was 99.40% White, 0.40%... . The balloon reached nearly 40000 feet (12,192 m) 30 minues later and remained at that altitude until starting to descend at 10:20 PM to 10,000 to 15,000 feet (3000–4600 m) for the remainder of the night. The balloon drifted 325 miles (523 km) in 11 hours and 25 minutes before landing at 7:26 AM on an alfalfa field 8 miles (12.9 km) east-southeast of Dubuque, Iowa Dubuque, Iowa Dubuque is a city in and the county seat of Dubuque County, Iowa, United States, located along the Mississippi River. In 2010 its population was 57,637, making it the ninth-largest city in the state and the county's population was 93,653.... . Alfred Mikesell was the first astronomer to make telescopic observations from the stratosphere. It was also the first flight in which a crew remained in the stratosphere in an open gondola after sunset. The purpose of the flight was to discover where the atmosphere created scintillation Scintillation (astronomy) Scintillation or twinkling are generic terms for rapid variations in apparent brightness or color of a distant luminous object viewed through a medium, most commonly the atmosphere .... (twinkling) of starlight. The parameters of the flight were defined by the expectation that the scintillation was introduced at the tropopause Tropopause The tropopause is the atmospheric boundary between the troposphere and the stratosphere.-Definition:Going upward from the surface, it is the point where air ceases to cool with height, and becomes almost completely dry... . This defined the height and season of the flight, because the height of the tropopause Tropopause The tropopause is the atmospheric boundary between the troposphere and the stratosphere.-Definition:Going upward from the surface, it is the point where air ceases to cool with height, and becomes almost completely dry... changes seasonally. The flight was therefore designed to go to 40000 feet (12,192 m) — the necessary data might not have been available any lower, but any higher was deemed too risky. The findings of this flight are incorporated in modern telescope design. |
| July 26, 1958 – July 27, 1958 | 82000 feet (24,993.6 m) | With Lieutenant Commander M. L. Lewis (USN), lifted in the Strato-Lab High III gondola at 4:41 AM from the Hanna Iron Mine, near Crosby, Minnesota Crosby, Minnesota As of the census of 2000, there were 2,299 people, 989 households, and 554 families residing in the city. The population density was 755.0 people per square mile . There were 1,081 housing units at an average density of 355.0 per square mile... . The flight set a new unofficial record for stratospheric flight of 34 hours 20 minutes. The balloon carried a record load of 5500 pounds (2,494.8 kg). The primary purpose of the flight was to test and evaluate the sealed cabin system, which was designed to carry an externally-mounted telescope for observation of the atmosphere of Venus. It therefore served as an operational and logistic rehearsal for future flights. The balloon stabilized at an initial ceiling of 79500 feet (24,231.6 m) at 7:40 AM. Ross and Lewis remained in the stratosphere near that altitude throughout the day, although by 10:00 PM they descended to 68500 feet (20,878.8 m) while dropping 350 pounds (158.8 kg) of batteries. By 10:30 PM they were able to stabilize at 70000 feet (21,336 m) after dropping another 98 pounds (44.5 kg) of ballast. At 9:00 AM the following morning, on July 27, the balloon reached its peak altitude of 82000 feet (24,993.6 m). The balloonists began their final descent at 10:25 AM. The balloon touched down near Jamestown, North Dakota Jamestown, North Dakota As of the census of 2000, there were 15,527 people, 6,505 households, and 3,798 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,246.7 per square mile . There were 6,970 housing units at an average density of 559.6 per square mile... . Due to electrical failures in the ballast control system, they were unable to release additional ballast and impacted somewhat harder than they wished, perhaps 300 to 400 feet (90 to 120 m) per minute. The twin cutoff switches then failed to release the balloon and they ascended again to 4,000-5,000 feet (1220–1525 m). By 3:21 PM they were able to solve the problem and descended to bounce again before the cutoff switch finally released the balloon. During the flight, the Ross and Lewis made the first television broadcast from a balloon in the stratosphere. After daybreak on the first day, the balloonists turned on their Dage transitorized television camera in a rack pointed downward through one of the down ports. The television pictures were transmitted to ground and air-born receivers. Later in the morning, Lewis removed the camera from the rack and pointed it at Ross while he was discussing (with a member of the support team flying below in a Navy R5D C-54 Skymaster The Douglas C-54 Skymaster was a four-engined transport aircraft used by the United States Army Air Forces and British forces in World War II and the Korean War. Besides transport of cargo, it also carried presidents, British heads of government, and military staff... ) repairs that they made using masking tape to fix a pressure leak on one of the two escape hatches. At 1:00 PM, they went on the air to broadcast live for 15 minutes over KSTP-TV KSTP-TV KSTP-TV, channel 5, is the ABC affiliate for the Twin Cities. Its transmitter is located at the Shoreview Telefarm. It is the flagship station of Hubbard Broadcasting, which also owns several other broadcasting properties across the United States.... in Minneapolis, and possibly other stations on the NBC NBC The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago... network. Malcolm Ross described it as "...probably one of the strangest programs that a television audience had ever seen...." |
| August 10, 1959 | 38000 feet (11,582.4 m) | With Robert Cooper (HAO High Altitude Observatory The High Altitude Observatory conducts research and provides support and facilities for the solar-terrestrial research community in the areas of solar and heliospheric physics, and the effects of solar variability on the Earth's magnetosphere, ionosphere, and upper atmosphere.HAO is a laboratory... ), in an open gondola to make the first observations from a balloon of the Sun's corona with a coronagraph Coronagraph A coronagraph is a telescopic attachment designed to block out the direct light from a star so that nearby objects – which otherwise would be hidden in the star's bright glare – can be resolved... . The balloonists also attempted to measure how sky brightness varied with altitude. |
| November 28–29, 1959 | 81000 feet (24,688.8 m) | Took Charles B. Moore Charles B. Moore Charles B. Moore, Jr. was an American physicist, engineer and meteorologist, known for his work with gas balloons... to perform spectrographic analysis of the planet Venus Venus Venus is the second planet from the Sun, orbiting it every 224.7 Earth days. The planet is named after Venus, the Roman goddess of love and beauty. After the Moon, it is the brightest natural object in the night sky, reaching an apparent magnitude of −4.6, bright enough to cast shadows... with minimal interference from Earth's atmosphere Scintillation (astronomy) Scintillation or twinkling are generic terms for rapid variations in apparent brightness or color of a distant luminous object viewed through a medium, most commonly the atmosphere .... . The balloonists were lifted by the 2 Mcuft Strato-Lab IV balloon from South Dakota's Stratobowl. The flight lasted 28 hours and 15 minutes. Ross and Moore used a 16-inch telescope and spectrograph to observe water vapor in the atmosphere of the planet Venus, and demonstrated for the first time that an observatory can be taken off the ground. |
| May 4, 1961 | 113740 feet (34.7 km) | With Lieutenant Commander Victor A. Prather Victor Prather Lieutenant Commander Victor A. Prather Jr. was an American flight surgeon famous for taking part in "Project RAM", a government project to develop the space suit.-Life:... (United States Navy United States Navy The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S... ), he successfully piloted the Strato-Lab V balloon Balloon (aircraft) A balloon is a type of aircraft that remains aloft due to its buoyancy. A balloon travels by moving with the wind. It is distinct from an airship, which is a buoyant aircraft that can be propelled through the air in a controlled manner.... into the stratosphere Stratosphere The stratosphere is the second major layer of Earth's atmosphere, just above the troposphere, and below the mesosphere. It is stratified in temperature, with warmer layers higher up and cooler layers farther down. This is in contrast to the troposphere near the Earth's surface, which is cooler... , setting an altitude record of 113,740 feet (34.67 km). Ross and Prather were wearing the Navy's Mark IV full-pressure suit in a gondola that was protected by venetian blinds Window blind A window blind is a type of window coverings. There are many different kinds of window blinds, using different systems and materials. A typical window blind is made with slats of fabric, wood, plastic or metal that adjust by rotating from an open position to a closed position by allowing slats to... , but otherwise open to space. At 10 Mcuft, the balloon envelope was the largest ever launched, expanding to 300 feet (91.4 m) in diameter when fully inflated. The primary objective of the flight was to test the Navy Mark IV full-pressure suit. The suit was manufactured by B. F. Goodrich Goodrich Corporation The Goodrich Corporation , formerly the B.F. Goodrich Company, is an American aerospace manufacturing company based in Charlotte, North Carolina. Founded in Akron, Ohio in 1870 as Goodrich, Tew & Co. by Dr. Benjamin Franklin Goodrich. The company name was changed to the "B.F... of neoprene, and weighed only 22 pounds (9.98 kg). The Mark IV suit overcame problems of weight, bulk, ventilation, air and water tightness, mobility, temperature control, and survival capabilities so well that NASA NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research... selected a modified version for use by the Project Mercury Project Mercury In January 1960 NASA awarded Western Electric Company a contract for the Mercury tracking network. The value of the contract was over $33 million. Also in January, McDonnell delivered the first production-type Mercury spacecraft, less than a year after award of the formal contract. On February 12,... astronauts. The May 4 flight was the most severe test of the suit that was ever conducted. The flight lasted 9 hours 54 minutes and covered a horizontal distance of 140 miles (225.3 km). As of 2010, the 1961 balloon flight altitude record has not been broken. The flight was successful, but Victor Prather drowned during the helicopter transfer after landing. For this record ascent, President John F. Kennedy John F. Kennedy John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963.... presented the balloonists (Victor Prather, posthumously to his wife) the 1961 Harmon Trophy Harmon Trophy The Harmon Trophy is a set of three international trophies, to be awarded annually to the world's outstanding aviator, aviatrix , and aeronaut... for Aeronauts. |
See also
- Charles B. MooreCharles B. MooreCharles B. Moore, Jr. was an American physicist, engineer and meteorologist, known for his work with gas balloons...
- Flight altitude recordFlight altitude recordThese are the records set for going the highest in the atmosphere from the age of ballooning onward. Some records are certified by Fédération Aéronautique Internationale.-Fixed-wing aircraft:-Piston-driven propeller aeroplane:...
- Manned balloon altitude records
- Project ManhighProject ManhighProject Manhigh along with Project Excelsior was a pre-Space Age military project that took men in balloons to the middle layers of the Earth’s stratosphere.-History:...
- Project SkyhookSkyhook balloonSkyhook balloons were balloons developed by Otto C. Winzen and General Mills, Inc., and used by the United States Navy Office of Naval Research in the late 1940s and in the 1950s for atmospheric research, especially for constant-level meteorological observations at very high altitudes...
- Project Strato-Lab
- Victor A. PratherVictor PratherLieutenant Commander Victor A. Prather Jr. was an American flight surgeon famous for taking part in "Project RAM", a government project to develop the space suit.-Life:...
- Winzen ResearchWinzen ResearchWinzen Research Inc created balloons in the 1950s and 1960s that were used by the United States Navy in its Projects Helios, Skyhook, and Strato-Lab. Balloons were also sold to the United States Air Force for use in Project Manhigh and for a secret reconnaissance mission, called Moby Dick, to...
Articles by Malcolm Ross
- Balloon Ride to the Edge of Space, by Malcolm Ross and Walter Edwards, National Geographic Magazine, vol 120, no 5, November 1961, pp 671–685
- A Consideration of the U.S. Navy Strato-Lab Balloon Program and Its Contributions to Manned Space Flight, by Malcolm D Ross, in Proceedings of the Second National Conference on the Peaceful Uses of Space, Seattle, Washington, 282 pages, May 8–10, 1962, NASA SP-8 (Washington, 1962), 261
- Reactions of a Balloon Crew in a Controlled Environment, by Malcolm Ross, The Journal of Aviation Medicine, Volume 30, Number 3, May 1959
- Plastic Balloons for Planetary Research, by Malcolm Ross, presented at the Fourth Annual Meeting of the American Astronautical Society, January 31, 1958
- The Role of Manned Balloons in the Exploration of Space, by Malcolm Ross and M. Lee Lewis, Institute of Aeronautical Sciences Reprint #834, 1958
- The Strato-Lab Balloon System for High Altitude Research, by Malcolm Ross and M. Lee Lewis, The Journal of Aviation Medicine, Volume 29, Number 4, May 1958
- To 76,000 Feet by Strato-Lab Balloon, by Lt Comdrs. Malcolm D. Ross, USNR, and M. Lee Lewis, USN; National Geographic Magazine, vol 111, no 2, February 1957, pp 269–282
Malcolm Ross Papers
- Malcolm D. Ross Papers including photographs, notes, correspondence, and medical records, are archived at the Smithsonian Institution, NASM Archives Accession No. 1998-0048. National Air and Space Museum. Archives Division MRC 322, Washington, D.C., 20560
External links
- Balloon Ancestors of Space Flight (from Touching Space: The Story of Project Manhigh)
- The Fourteen Mile Drop Monday, November 19, 1956; TIME.com article about the rapid descent that ended the 8 November 1956 record breaking flight.
- John F. Kennedy: Remarks on Presenting the Harmon Trophies Thursday, October 18, 1962 (The American Presidency Project)
- Shivering Look at Venus Monday, December 14, 1959; TIME.com article about the 28 November 1959 flight to observe Venus
- Stratolab, an Evolutionary Stratospheric Balloon Project article by Gregory Kennedy