OWS Weather Reporter - Radiosonde being prepared for launch

Radiosondes are used to make observations of the Upper Atmosphere. This example is being launched from an Ocean Weather Ship. The wire mesh code allowed the sonde to be tracked using radar in order to calculate wind direction and speed. Sondes also carry an array of instruments which transmitted temperature, pressure and humidity data using an onboard radio transmitter.

Modern Radiosondes are a fraction of the size and use satellite technology for communications but the one thing that has not changed is the size of the vast helium filled balloon to which the sonde is attached. Using these balloons radiosondes can now reach the edge of space.