Imagine you are holding a balloon filled with helium, it starts to float up in the air because helium is lighter than the air around us. High-altitude balloons are just like that, but they are much bigger and can reach much higher up in the sky.
These balloons are not just for fun though, they are used for all kinds of important things like scientific research and collecting data about our planet. The balloons are launched from the ground and they soar up through the atmosphere. They can reach heights of over 100,000 feet! That's higher than any mountain in the world!
Once they're up that high, they can stay there for a really long time, sometimes even up to a week. During this time, they can snap pictures and take measurements of things like the Earth's temperature, air pressure, and air composition. Scientists can use these measurements to learn more about the Earth and how it works.
When it's time for the balloon to come back down, it doesn't just automatically deflate and fall to the ground. Instead, it has a special device called a parachute that helps it slowly drift back down to Earth. Once the balloon lands, scientists can collect all the data it recorded and use it for their research.
In short, high-altitude balloons are big balloons filled with helium that are launched into the sky to collect important information about our planet. They can go really high up, stay up there for a long time, and then safely come back down to Earth with the data they collected.