"Payload" means whatever weight the system was designed to carry for its mission, even if it was not dropped. There was a large frame suspended beneath the balloon that seemed to be equipped with solar arrays and containers for equipment. Actual weather balloons have gondolas or instrument capsules suspended beneath the balloon. Same idea.
I know. For passenger/cargo aircraft, it refers to the passenger + cargo loading. For launch vehicles it refers to what is being carried to orbit. For military systems, it is actually more common (and more proper) to refer to it as "bomb load" (bombers) or "warhead" (missiles).
"Payload" means whatever weight the system was designed to carry for its mission, even if it was not dropped. There was a large frame suspended beneath the balloon that seemed to be equipped with solar arrays and containers for equipment. Actual weather balloons have gondolas or instrument capsules suspended beneath the balloon. Same idea.
Oh, I'd only ever heard the word in the context of dropping bombs or napalm or whatever.
"Unleashing its payload."
I know. For passenger/cargo aircraft, it refers to the passenger + cargo loading. For launch vehicles it refers to what is being carried to orbit. For military systems, it is actually more common (and more proper) to refer to it as "bomb load" (bombers) or "warhead" (missiles).