Do Balloons Go to Space?
A Helium-Filled Balloon Can Float Very High up into the Atmosphere, However, It Cannot Float up into Outer Space. the Air in Earth's Atmosphere Gets Thinner...
A helium-filled balloon can float very high up into the atmosphere, however, it cannot float up into outer space. The air in Earth's atmosphere gets thinner the higher up you go. ... This happens at about a height of 20 miles (32 kilometers) above Earth's surface.
Do balloons pop in space?
In space, the air molecules would still expand outward, but without any air in a vacuum, there is no “sound barrier” to break, per se, so it would be a completely silent pop. There are a lot of logistics to traveling into space, blowing up a balloon in an airlock, and then going for a spacewalk to see what happens.
How far will a balloon travel?
Moving at just three miles-per-hour, a helium-filled Mylar® balloon can travel more than 1,000 miles before it returns to Earth. That means a balloon released in St. Louis could realistically reach the Atlantic Ocean before descending.
Maya is a hardware enthusiast who tests and reviews smart home devices, smartphones, wearables, and audio gear. She focuses on practical consumer value and build quality.
