The helium-filled '' Explorer II '' balloon , piloted by US Army Air Corps officers Capt. Orvil A. Anderson , Maj. William E. Kepner and Capt. Albert W. Stevens , reached a new record height of 22,066 m ( 72,395 ft ) on 11 November 1935 . This followed the same crew 's previous near-fatal plunge in July 1934 in a predecessor craft , '' Explorer '' , after its canopy ruptured just 190 m ( 624 ft ) short ( it transpired ) of the then-current altitude record of 22,000 m ( 72,178 ft ) set by the Soviet balloon '' Osoaviakhim-1 ''
Osoaviakhim-1
Osoaviakhim-1
Balloon (aeronautics)