Balloon

A balloon is a flexible bag normally filled with air or gas. Some balloons are purely decorative, while others are used for specific purposes. Early balloons were made of dried animal bladders.

Balloons as flying machines

Large balloons filled with hot air or buoyant gas have been used as flying machines since the 18th century. See Balloon (aircraft) and Hot air balloon

Related Topics:
Balloon (aircraft) - Hot air balloon

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Such balloons, which lift a payload using buoyancy in an atmosphere, should not be confused with balloons in space, launched with a rocket, which are simply large deployable structures.

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Balloons are sometimes used in form of a rockoon as carrier for rockets.

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Examples:

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• Echo satellite
• Decoys accompanying ICBMs in midcourse, see also countermeasure