A strange sight over Arizona in the very early morning recently was just another Air Force Research Lab scientific balloon, according to the Holbrook (Ariz.) Tribune-News, which quoted someone as saying it looked like a “big jellyfish.” AFRL researchers from Kirtland AFB, N.M., launched the large balloon from the Holbrook Airport about 1:30 a.m. on Feb. 9 to test communications signals. AFRL controlled the balloon via long-distance radio waves, sending it toward Kirtland and touchdown at Tucamcari, N.M. Researches plan to make about 100 flights over the next three years from Holbrook, which was chosen due to its wind patterns and open airspace.
The Air Force wants to pump more than $12 billion over the next five years into its new affordable long-range missiles program and recently asked industry to push the flights of some of those munitions beyond 1,200 miles.