Chinese-made floating airship reaches 9,032 altitude, Creates record

China’s floating airship, Jimu No.1, created new record by reaching at an altitude of 9.032 metres on May 15. The airship took off with a speed of 30 metres per second from its base camp at 4,300 metres altitude on Mt. Qomolangma, world’s highest peak present at China-Nepal border.

At around 4:40 AM, the airship hit 9,032 metres, above the mountain’s peak of 8848.86 metres, thus setting a new world record. The airship weighs around 2.625 tonnes, has a volume of 9,060 cubic meters. The vehicle glued to the bottom of the ship weighs near to 90 tonnes.

To record the atmosphere composition and water vapour transmission in space, the observation apparatus is used. The measurement data includes black carbon, dust, carbon dioxide and methane, the key elements required for studying changes in the Qinghai-Tibetian plateau.

A team consisting 64 members conducted the research. This is one of the 16 scientific research teams from China’s ‘Earth Summit Mission 2022’.