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Balloons For Planetary Exploration (Site not responding. Last check: 2007-10-29) |
 | | Montgolfiere balloons are relatively cheap as they do not require high-grade materials for their envelopes nor bottles of light gas, and they are often bought and flown by hobbyists. |
 | | Solar Montgolfieres have several advantages for planetary exploration, as they can be easier to deploy than a light gas balloon; do not necessarily require a tank of light gas for inflation; and are relatively forgiving of small leaks. |
 | | The Montgolfieres flew at an altitude of 35 kilometers, where the atmosphere was as thin and cold as it would be on Mars, and one spent 69 days aloft, circling the Earth twice. |
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