Narrative:

2 high altitude research balloons were launched this morning within about 1/2 hour of each other. Their departure was from an area about 20-30 mi east of the denver metropolitan area. They ascended rapidly to FL900 then deployed parachutes and floated back down. ZDV was given a projected flight profile then monitored its progress via on-line updates. The safety issue arises from the fact that we don't/can't receive real time position or altitude reports. Balloon advisories were issued based on projected flight path and in fact were as much as 30 or 40 mi off. The most practical solution would be to require a transponder on the balloon (working and in usable condition). The second safety issue is allowing recurring balloon releases into high volume air traffic areas at busy times. Solution would be to allow only nighttime (lit) launches avoiding high volume times. Another solution; move all such balloons at least 100 mi from the denver metropolitan area. (Fewer aircraft in a larger area odds are less likely to cause a serious problem.) final comment: the reason I am filing this report is because when we finally did get a position and altitude update we had 3 air carrier's flyover the exact spot we were told the balloon was and certainly less than 10000 ft vertically separated from a free falling parachute/balloon.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZDV CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING BALLOON RELEASE ACTIVITY UP TO FL900 WITH LESS THAN ACCURATE LOCATION INFO.

Narrative: 2 HIGH ALT RESEARCH BALLOONS WERE LAUNCHED THIS MORNING WITHIN ABOUT 1/2 HR OF EACH OTHER. THEIR DEP WAS FROM AN AREA ABOUT 20-30 MI E OF THE DENVER METRO AREA. THEY ASCENDED RAPIDLY TO FL900 THEN DEPLOYED PARACHUTES AND FLOATED BACK DOWN. ZDV WAS GIVEN A PROJECTED FLT PROFILE THEN MONITORED ITS PROGRESS VIA ON-LINE UPDATES. THE SAFETY ISSUE ARISES FROM THE FACT THAT WE DON'T/CAN'T RECEIVE REAL TIME POS OR ALT RPTS. BALLOON ADVISORIES WERE ISSUED BASED ON PROJECTED FLT PATH AND IN FACT WERE AS MUCH AS 30 OR 40 MI OFF. THE MOST PRACTICAL SOLUTION WOULD BE TO REQUIRE A XPONDER ON THE BALLOON (WORKING AND IN USABLE CONDITION). THE SECOND SAFETY ISSUE IS ALLOWING RECURRING BALLOON RELEASES INTO HIGH VOLUME AIR TFC AREAS AT BUSY TIMES. SOLUTION WOULD BE TO ALLOW ONLY NIGHTTIME (LIT) LAUNCHES AVOIDING HIGH VOLUME TIMES. ANOTHER SOLUTION; MOVE ALL SUCH BALLOONS AT LEAST 100 MI FROM THE DENVER METRO AREA. (FEWER ACFT IN A LARGER AREA ODDS ARE LESS LIKELY TO CAUSE A SERIOUS PROB.) FINAL COMMENT: THE REASON I AM FILING THIS RPT IS BECAUSE WHEN WE FINALLY DID GET A POS AND ALT UPDATE WE HAD 3 ACR'S FLYOVER THE EXACT SPOT WE WERE TOLD THE BALLOON WAS AND CERTAINLY LESS THAN 10000 FT VERTICALLY SEPARATED FROM A FREE FALLING PARACHUTE/BALLOON.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.