Chinese scientists have carried out the "Jimu-1" tethered balloon atmospheric observation experiment in Lulang, Nyingchi, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, which is expected to provide a new perspective for unraveling the mysteries of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau ecosystem.
The tethered balloon was equipped with 16 types of scientific payloads with a total weight of approximately 200 kilograms. It successfully ascended to an altitude of 5,500 meters.
Through coordinated multi-payload observations, the experiment achieved a technological leap from single-point sampling to three-dimensional monitoring, according to the Aerospace Information Research Institute (AIR) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the major developer of the tethered balloon.
The experiment accurately obtained key data on atmospheric composition, pollutant distribution and three-dimensional cloud microphysics.
As of Sept 19, the tethered balloon had completed 30 flights, spanning multiple altitude layers and meteorological scenarios.
Aerostats -- aircraft that rely on a lifting gas less dense than air (usually helium) -- predate airplanes. Among them, tethered balloons offer long endurance, wide coverage, flexible deployment, strong payload capacity and low operating costs, making them core platforms for integrated "air-space-ground" observation systems.
With its towering altitudes and vast glaciers, the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau serves as a major reservoir of water, earning it the title "Asian Water Tower." As a region highly sensitive to global climate change, its environmental monitoring is vital for regional sustainable development.
China conducts tethered balloon experiment, offering new insights into Qinghai-Tibet Plateau ecosystem
