The Glider
During the flight the balloon will be followed by a solar powered plane. Zephyr has a wingspan of nearly 40 feet (12 metres) and serves the sole purpose of photographing the record breaking attempt.
The plane is incredibly light, weighing only 30 pounds (14 kg), the equivalent of a mountain bike despite its size.
Zephyr will be tethered to the balloon on a 1,470 feet (450 metre) cable, and will be controlled during the mission by Colin Prescot.
It will send pictures of the flight back to the balloon and from there they will be sent back to Earth.
The technology behind Zephyr could be used as a communications platform for mobile phones in remote areas, or disaster zones, or even by the military for surveillance.
It is hoped Zephyr will return to Earth, although it is unlikely it will be recovered intact.
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One-Minute World News
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