Editing Perlan Project (section)

{{Short description|American high altitude research organization}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{Infobox company
|name          = The Perlan Project, Inc.
|image         = Windward Performance Perlan II N901EE 01.jpg
|image_caption = Perlan II
|foundation    = 1992
|founder       = [[Einar Enevoldson]]
|type          = Non-operating private foundation<br>IRS [[501(c)(3) organization|501(c)(3)]]
|products         = Aerospace and Atmospheric Science Research, Development, Innovation and Education
|locations     = [[Beaverton, Oregon]], [[United States of America|USA]]
|area_served   = Global
|key_people    = [[Einar Enevoldson]], <small>Founder and chairman</small><br>[[Elizabeth Austin (meteorologist)|Elizabeth Austin]], <small>Chief Meteorologist</small><br>[[Ed Warnock]], <small>CEO</small><br>Jim Payne,<small>Chief Pilot</small><br>[[Morgan Sandercock]], <small>Donor and Project Manager</small><br>[[Dennis Tito]], <small>Major Donor</small><br>[[Stéphane Fymat]], <small>Head of Build and Fundraising</small>
|homepage      = [http://www.perlanproject.org/ www.perlanproject.org]
}}
[[File:Polar stratospheric cloud type 2.jpg|thumb|Arctic stratospheric cloud (Mother of Pearl cloud)]]
'''Perlan Project''' Inc. is a <!-- [[501(c)(3) organization|501(c)(3)]] -->not-for-profit aeronautical exploration and atmospheric science research organization that utilizes [[Glider (sailplane)|sailplanes]] (gliders) designed to fly at extremely high altitudes.

On 29 August 2006 [[Steve Fossett]] and [[Einar Enevoldson]], the pilots of Perlan Mission I, broke the existing altitude record for gliders by soaring up to 50,671 feet (15,460m) in a standard glider using stratospheric waves of air.

The [[Fédération Aéronautique Internationale]] has ratified the altitude record of {{convert|22657|m}} achieved on 2 September 2018,<ref>{{cite web |title=Records |url=https://www.fai.org/record/18704 |website=FAI |access-date=23 January 2023}}</ref> a substantial improvement over the previous year's best altitude of {{convert|15902|m}}, which was set on 3 September 2017.<ref name=altituderecords /><ref name="2017 record">{{cite web
|title=Perlan Press Release
|url=http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/61941e70-7245-4089-83bb-da3da7240d6e
|access-date=5 September 2017
}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.airbus.com/newsroom/press-releases/en/2017/09/perlan-sets-new-world-record.html | title=Airbus Perlan Mission II Soars into History, Sets New World Record for Glider Altitude &#124; Airbus | date=28 October 2021 }}</ref> These flights used the custom designed and built pressurized high-altitude [[Windward Performance Perlan II]] glider, sponsored by [[Airbus]]. They also collected data about Earth's atmosphere and its ozone layer.