Though it may seem counterintuitive, the least safe portion of a stratospheric balloon flight is right after launch, when the balloon is still close to the ground. If anything goes wrong, there isn’t much time for the pilot to open a parachute and steer the capsule to a safe landing. One way to mitigate the risk of trouble early in the flight is to take care that the ultra-thin polyethylene balloon doesn’t tear, so World View will use a crane to stand the balloon up before inflating it, bypassing the traditional processes of unrolling the balloon as it inflates or laying it out on the tarmac, both of which are more likely to lead to a tear.