ranging from 23 and 27 km and valuable material was obtained, which was analyzed during the following years.[^66] Moreover, the expedition gave precious details about the meteorological conditions in Sardinia, and valuable experience was acquired on several technical points, in particular concerning the launching and the construction of the balloons. A second expedition was then planned for the following year, on a larger scale and with the purpose of introducing several technical improvements.[^67] In this new expedition, which took place in June-July 1953, nineteen universities were involved, eighteen of these from Europe and one from Australia.[^68] The mains tasks were now divided among several universities and, in particular, three universities played a crucial role, Bristol of course, but also Rome and Padua, which became two of the organizinghe designed and built for the 1953 expedition (Museum of the History of Physics, University of Padua).[]{data-label="fig:24"}](Fig24R.jpg){width="\textwidth"}

These launching platforms were intended to determine the right quantity of hydrogen to fill the balloon with, in order to predetermine the altitude of the flight. They were kinds of balances: the balloon and its equipment were weighed and the balloon was then inflated until the balance point indicated at first the original zero and then a free lift of about 5 kg. Twenty-three flights were finally carried out in Sardinia and, as in the first expedition, the help, support, facilities and instruments supplied by the Italian Navy and Air force were of crucial importance.[^73]

Two remaining balloons, which had not been used because of bad weather, were launched from Padua in the