Year-ender: China's sci-tech achievements in 2022 (13)

The Jimu 1 aerostat, a giant helium-filled tethered airship. [Photo/Xinhua]

Chinese scientists break aerostat altitude record

On May 15, Chinese scientists launched the latest model of Jimu 1 aerostat, a giant helium-filled tethered airship, to collect weather data at a record altitude of 9,032 meters on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

It was the first time an aerostat of its size reached this height, surpassing even the summit of the 8,849 meters tall Mount Qomolangma, known as Mount Everest in the West.

The aircraft can carry numerous scientific instruments that allow scientists to collect atmospheric data and study the moisture transport process, and track changes in black carbon, dust, methane, carbon dioxide and other substances at extreme altitude.

The Jimu 1 Model III is the latest of three airships aimed at collecting key atmospheric data on the plateau to observe the effects of climate change. The first model was launched in 2019 and reached a height of 7,003 meters.