Spirit of Freedom (balloon)

The Spirit-of-Freedom was a Rozière balloon, which combines the features of a hot-air balloon and a gas balloon, with a helium cell within a hot-air envelope. Designed by Donald Cameron of Cameron Balloons Ltd. of Bristol, England. Thirty-eight tanks hanging beside the capsule are filled with 69% propane and 31% ethane fueling the burners on top.[8]The heated air warms the helium to lift the balloon. Steering's accomplished by ascending or descending into favorable wind direction.[1] Initially, the helium cell is filled to approximately 47% of its maximum capacity. During ascent, warming by the sun causes the helium to expand even more than the surrounding air, which aids the balloon in gaining altitude (unlike the expansion caused by the drop in atmospheric pressure, which can even hinder that until the air and helium temperatures equalize). The 140 ft tall balloon envelope utilized a Comstock Autopilot Computer to keep a constant altitude by controlling the burners, this automatic control allowed Fossett time to sleep.[3][1] When joined with the gondola, the entire aircraft measured 180 feet (55 meters) by 108 feet (33 meters).[9]

Designed and build by Tim Cole Sr. of Greeley, Colorado, out of kevlar and carbon with a clear bubble hatch. The Spirit-of-Freedom gondola the size of a closet, had a bench and a sleeping bag. Fossett used an autopilot designed by Bruce Comstock to control the burners while he averaged 4 hours of sleep per day in 45 minute naps.[8]He ate military rations called MREs which were heated with water activated chemical heat packs.[1]Fossett would have to regularly climb out into the sub-zero temperatures to change fuel tanks.[3]   Besides the Comstock autopilot, the gondola equipment included GPS, Inmarsat, and satellite phone backup for communications with Mission Control at Washington University in St. Louis. Fossett used radios for communications with air traffic control and other aircraft. An Emergency Position Indicating Rescue Beacon (EPIRB) was onboard to aid search and rescue.[1] The unpressurized gondola used lithium batteries to power the electronic equipment. A custom heater designed by engineer Andy Elson regulates the aircraft internal temperature between 4 to 21 C (38-72 F).[1][8]

Fossett launched the 10-story high balloon Spirit of Freedom from Northam, Western Australia on June 19, 2002 and returned to Australia on July 3, 2002 (Independence Day in the US), subsequently landing in Queensland, Australia. He would climb or descend to navigate via the most favorable winds. Fossett mainly cruised at over 8,000 meters (26,240 feet) and breathed oxygen from a liquid oxygen system.[1] Duration and distance of this solo balloon flight was 13 days, 8 hours, 33 minutes to circumnavigate the globe and 14 days 19 hours 50 minutes to landing total time covering 20,626.48 statute miles (33,195.10 km).[2] The balloon dragged him along the ground for 20 minutes at the end of the flight. The capsule survived the landing and was donated to the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. where it is on permanent display. The envelope was destroyed in the landing, but a miniature hangs in the Anderson-Abruzzo Albuquerque International Balloon Museum in Albuquerque, New Mexico.[10] [6] The control center for the mission was in Brookings Hall at Washington University in St. Louis.[11] Fossett's top speed during the flight was set over the Indian Ocean. The trip ballooning records include: Fastest (200 miles per hour (320 km/h), breaking his own previous record of 166 miles per hour (270 km/h)), Fastest Around the World (13.5 days), Longest Distance Flown Solo in a Balloon (20,482.26 miles (32,963.00 km)), and 24-Hour Balloon Distance (3,186.80 miles (5,128.66 km) on July 1).[12]

Apollo 11 capsule with the
Spirit-of Freedom capsule