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A comment on For Sale: Balloon Rides to Near-Space for $75,000 a Seat.

Re:For Sale: Balloon Rides to Near-Space for $75,000 a Seat by acqq on Wednesday October 23, 2013 @09:56AM (#6598737)
How does the balloon rise? I don't see any heaters to use plain air. It then probably wastes helium, supply of which is limited:

http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/health/med-tech/why-...

Still I don't have the doubt that the flights can be profitable for the organizer.

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Re:For Sale: Balloon Rides to Near-Space for $75,000 a Seat by Pxtl on Wednesday October 23, 2013 @10:03AM (#6598766)
I wonder if it would be possible to use a compressor with a balloon to pump air back out of the balloon into a cylinder... this would allow you to lose altitude without sacrificing (much) Helium.
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Re:For Sale: Balloon Rides to Near-Space for $75,000 a Seat by rthomas6 on Wednesday October 23, 2013 @10:04AM (#6598772)
>The federal government, which sets helium prices

What. Why?

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Re:For Sale: Balloon Rides to Near-Space for $75,000 a Seat by tanzam75 on Wednesday October 23, 2013 @11:58AM (#6599512)
Helium is considered a strategic resource.

Going as far back as the 1930s, when it was restricted because of its scarcity and use in naval airships. For example, the United States refused to sell helium to Nazi Germany -- which is why the airship Hindenburg was filled with hydrogen.

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Re:For Sale: Balloon Rides to Near-Space for $75,000 a Seat by hedgie13 on Wednesday October 23, 2013 @11:01AM (#6599123)
Well, turns out there is Federal Helium reserve:

http://www.blm.gov/nm/st/en/prog/energy/helium/federal_heliu...

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