Fri, Apr 23, 2010
Set Record In 1957 As Precursor To The U.S. Space Program
David Simons, who in 1957 flew a helium balloon to the edge of
space, passed away at his home in Covington, GA on April 5th. He
was 87 years old.
Simons Self Portrait During Record Setting Flight
Air Force Photo
Simons was the chief of space biology at the Air Force
Missile Development Center at Holloman Air Force Base from 1953 to
1959. He had previously been the project officer for animal studies
in V-2 rocket flights at White Sands Proving Grounds. The
Alamogordo Daily News reports that he was later tapped to lead the
balloon program which was designed to study cosmic radiation and
other "space conditions" on human physiology.
So, on August 19th, 1957, he got into ... some might say put on
... the "High Man II" balloon capsule. It was just 8 feet high by
three feet wide, and was filled with equipment to measure
conditions at the fringe of the Earth's atmosphere. The balloon
ascended from a copper mine near Crosby, MN to an altitude of
102,000 feet ... more than 19 miles AGL. Just before takeoff, his
commanding officer reportedly shook his hand and quipped, "Major,
you are about to reach the high point of your career," according to
an obituary in the New York Times
High Man II Capsule
Air Force Photo
The flight lasted just over 32 hours,
landing in a farmer's field in South Dakota. Simons described his
experience as "just being there," but he was awarded the
Distinguished Flying Cross for setting the record. He'd proven
that, with the proper equipment, humans could survive at the fringe
of space.
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