Spirit of Freedom (balloon)
| First Solo Around The World Balloon Flight Spirit of Freedom balloon over left shoulder | |
Balloon | |
|---|---|
| Envelope: | 43 m (141 ft) tall by 18 m (59 ft) wide inflated |
| Fuel: | 38 tanks of Propane & Ethane |
| Type: | Rozier balloon |
| Manufacturer: | Don Cameron of Cameron Balloons Ltd. Bristol, England |
Gondola | |
| Manufacturer: | Tim Cole of Greeley, Colorado |
| Dimensions: | 132 by 94 by 65 inches (340 cm × 240 cm × 170 cm) |
| Weight: | 600 pounds (270 kg) |
| Material: | Kevlar and carbon |
| Cabin Pressure: | unpressurized |
| Gondola Location: | National Air and Space Museum permanent display |
The Spirit of Freedom balloon was a Rozière balloon designed and built by Donald Cameron and Tim Cole. In 2002 solo pilot Steve Fossett flew the Spirit of Freedom to become the first successful around-the-world nonstop solo flight in any kind of aircraft. On June 19, 2002, the 10-story-high balloon Spirit of Freedom lifted off from Northam, Western Australia, and landed in Queensland, Australia, on July 3, 2002. The solo flight circumnavigation lasted 13 days, 8 hours, 33 minutes (14 days 19 hours 50 minutes to landing) and covered 20,626.48 statute miles (33,195.10 km). During this flight, the balloon reached speeds of up to 322 kilometers (200 miles) per hour, and flew as high as 10,580 meters (34,710 feet).