In the late 1940-ies started a project Skyhook (sky hook), in which the plastic balloons were used to send equipment into the stratosphere for the purpose of conducting scientific research. The first Skyhook balloon was launched on 25 September 1947.
This ball had a solid silver sheath. In some models the balloons could reach a diameter of more than 30 m.
The first manned flight of such a balloon took place in 1949. Project Rockoon, in 1952, used a Skyhook balloon to launch small rockets Deacon at an altitude of about 70 000 feet (21 000 m) over the Arctic waters. 7 September 1956 at the University of Minnesota was launched a giant Mylar balloon (developed by the Corporation GT Schejeldahl Northfield, MN), who set an unofficial altitude record for unmanned balloons is equal to 145 000 ft (44 000 m) .
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