would you like to fly in my beautiful balloon?

first thought that comes to my mind is border patrol. drug smugglers
these days are sufficient advanced to be able to spot a dirigible
which is at a much lower altitude, and to know what its range is. a
few "permanente" stationed balloons could keep an eye peeled for them
over then entire american border.

--- In spacesettlers@yahoogroups.com, "ANTIcarrot"
wrote:
>
> > From: panamabob@...
> > 140,000 feet edge of space base?
>
> Though this is a completely impractical method of attaining orbit,
it should
> be noted that a balloon at 40km with sufficient endurance could do
many of
> the jobs of a satellite, at significantly lower cost. The Predator
UAV does
> the same job as a recon sat after all, and it flies much lower than
that. :P
>
> John
>
to use" The Wall Street Journal