Methods and mechanisms for balloon launching

A system comprising:

• a shell structure;
• a movement element coupled to the shell structure;
• and
• a control system configured to:
• receive, from at least one wind sensor, wind data associated with an external environment outside the shell structure, wherein the wind data comprises information indicative of a wind direction and a wind velocity of wind in the external environment;
• determine, based on the received wind data, a movement vector;
• cause the movement element to move based on the movement vector;
• cause the shell structure to open;
• and
• launch a balloon from within the shell structure.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored therein instructions that, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform functions comprising:

• receiving, from at least one wind sensor, wind data associated with an external environment outside a shell structure, wherein the wind data comprises information indicative of a wind direction and a wind velocity of wind in the external environment;
• causing the shell structure to move based on the received wind data;
• causing the shell structure to open such that a balloon positioned substantially within the shell structure is exposed to the external environment;
• and
• causing the balloon to launch from within the shell structure.