Set Record In 1957 As Precursor To The U.S. Space Program

David Simons, who in 1957 flew a helium balloon to the edge of space, passed away at his home in Covington, GA on April 5th. He was 87 years old.

Simons Self Portrait During Record Setting Flight
Air Force Photo

Simons was the chief of space biology at the  Air Force Missile Development Center at Holloman Air Force Base from 1953 to 1959. He had previously been the project officer for animal studies in V-2 rocket flights at White Sands Proving Grounds. The Alamogordo Daily News reports that he was later tapped to lead the balloon program which was designed to study cosmic radiation and other "space conditions" on human physiology.

So, on August 19th, 1957, he got into ... some might say put on ... the "High Man II" balloon capsule. It was just 8 feet high by three feet wide, and was filled with equipment to measure conditions at the fringe of the Earth's atmosphere. The balloon ascended from a copper mine near Crosby, MN to an altitude of 102,000 feet ... more than 19 miles AGL. Just before takeoff, his commanding officer reportedly shook his hand and quipped, "Major, you are about to reach the high point of your career," according to an obituary in the New York Times

High Man II Capsule
Air Force Photo

The flight lasted just over 32 hours, landing in a farmer's field in South Dakota. Simons described his experience as "just being there," but he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for setting the record. He'd proven that, with the proper equipment, humans could survive at the fringe of space.

FMI: www.af.mil