Explorer II

balloon

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July 17, 2026

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The Explorer II was a large balloon that achieved a world-record altitude flight of 22,065 meters (72,395 feet) on November 11, 1935. This flight was a significant achievement in manned ballooning, pushing the boundaries of stratospheric exploration. The balloon was a massive, rubberized-cotton structure, seven times the size of earlier experimental balloons, and carried a large magnesium-alloy cabin.1

This endeavor was sponsored by the National Geographic Society and the U.S. Army Air Corps, with pilots Capt. A. Stevens and Capt. Orville Anderson at the helm. The Explorer II's success demonstrated the potential for scientific investigation at extreme altitudes, paving the way for future high-altitude research and technological advancements in balloon design and pressurized cabins.12

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balloon flight
Balloons reach the stratosphere
That balloon, the Explorer II, was seven times the size of Piccard’s, but still with very similar fabric. The stress in the skin of the giant balloon was formidable, resulting in repeated failures. On one occasion the crew, this time including Maj. William E. Kepner, barely escaped by…
Read More
That balloon, the Explorer II, was seven times the size of Piccard’s, but still with very similar fabric. The stress in the skin of the giant balloon was formidable, resulting in repeated failures. On one occasion the crew, this time including Maj. William E. Kepner, barely escaped by…
Read More