300 weather balloons lift a 2,000-pound house into the air. Image credit: National Geographic.
(麻豆淫院Org.com) -- How hard can it be to lift a house with helium balloons? A National Geographic team of scientists, engineers, and balloon pilots has demonstrated how to achieve such a feat, which was filmed for a new TV series called 鈥淗ow Hard Can It Be?鈥� They conclude that, although it鈥檚 very difficult, it鈥檚 not impossible.
It took the team about two weeks to plan, build, and lift the house into the air using balloons. They needed about 300 weather balloons, each of which inflated to a height of 8 feet, in order to lift the 2,000-pound, 16x16-foot yellow house. Lifting off early in the morning outside of Los Angeles, the house floated for about an hour and reached an altitude of 10,000 feet.
According to the National Geographic Channel, the floating house set a world record for the 鈥渓argest balloon cluster flight鈥� ever attempted. The entire aircraft of house and balloons was about 100 feet tall.
Behind-the-scenes footage of the flying balloon house. Video credit: National Geographic.
The concept of a house being lifted into the air by balloons may sound familiar to young movie-goers who have seen Pixar鈥檚 latest animated feature called 鈥淯p.鈥� In the movie, an old man and a boy go on a ride when the house they鈥檙e in is lifted into the sky by balloons tied to the house鈥檚 roof.
Just like in the movie, there were a few people inside the real-life house while it was flying. More details about the 鈥渂alloon house鈥� will appear in 鈥淗ow Hard Can It Be?鈥�, which is scheduled to debut next fall.
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