††††The first balloon to carry a radio to transmit weather conditions was sent into the atmosphere by Russian P. Molchanov in 1930.
In order to monitor the weather with accuracy it is necessary to monitor conditions as close as possible to the 'activity' itself. Instruments used to monitor weather such as barometers, thermometers and anemometers, can be sent into the atmosphere attached to a balloon. Radar is used to keep track of the balloons, which also carry a radio transmitter called a rawinsonde. To bring the instruments back down, a recovery parachute is used.
