Why not launch to outer space after first floating up to the edge in balloons?

Question

We know it is possible to float up to the edge of space in balloons; why don't we float up there first and then shoot off our engines to reach higher up?

Balloons are cheap. Once near space it would be easier then ever to create whatever kind of orbit they would choose. They could carry up as much fuel as they would desire. They could lift as much weight they would desire. There is no limit to how much balloon or balloon gas they could use. They would not be making around the globe voyages; just going straight up and then a little further. It might be best to shoot up with the momentum gathered before they actually reach the top.

Answer 1

That has been done before, and you do get some benefit from starting above most of the atmosphere. But it is really a hassle and not usually worth the trouble. For any good size rocket, the balloon has to be absolutely gigantic. And balloons need almost dead calm winds to safely launch. And they take hours to float up to altitude. And they can drift miles from where you want them to be while you are waiting for them to get high enough. And, finally, if you want to go to orbit, it doesn't help all that much anyway, because it is speed more than altitude that makes the difference between being in orbit and just being really high and about to fall back to Earth, and you get no speed from the balloon at all.

Answer 2

Using balloons might be more efficient then rockets, but the energy needed to lift the spaceship still needs to come from somewhere.

Think of it this way- the first time MegaSpaceCorp launch up it's new space jet, they hook it to the balloon near ground level, let the balloon float up with the jet, and then set off the jet engines.

However, if MegaSpaceCorp wants to reuse its balloons, they'll have to use energy to drag the balloon back to Earth and attach another jet. If they're willing to sacrifice balloons, they'll be wasting money in lost helium and materials.

If MSC's engineers can find a way to make the balloon method safer and more cost effective, then they'll have a successful vehicle. Otherwise, they might be better off sticking with normal rocket or jet propulsion.

Answer 3

Responder campbelp2002 is largely correct. You get a little bit of advantage from a balloon launch because, from a surface launch, some of the rocket energy is spent pushing air around. But the advantage is not enough to justify the cost of the balloon. However, aiming the rocket from a balloon launch is not a problem: the gyroscopes on the rocket will quickly put it on the desired path.

Answer 4

Two reasons. One: the weight of any rocket would be very difficult to lift using any gas filled balloon. Two: launching a vehicle into orbit requires an extremely accurate trajectory, and air currents up in the stratosphere would make it next to imposable to launch anything into a stable orbit.

Answer 5

Basically, that's the principle thats being used in the new technology being used by Richard Branson and the winner of the X Prize for Space Flight Technology. By climbing into the high atmosphere and lauching from a plane. That way you don't have so far reach free fall and saving fuel.

Answer 6

see how not avanced we are. so not advanced dat you don't even own one of those balloon. I know cuz you don't have the answer to your question

Answer 7

because the goverment cant spend all our money that way!

Answer 8

why