Jules Verne Forum

<jvf@Gilead.org.il>

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 19961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009

Balloon Circumnavigates World!

From: <Rfbagby~at~aol.com>
Date: Sat, 20 Mar 1999 16:15:55 EST
To: jvf~at~math.technion.ac.il

Most of you probably know this through regular news media, but the latest
attempt at circling the Earth by balloon has now basically succeeded. (Even if
it falls short of actually completing a full circumnavigation, it has
demonstrated that the distances are feasible.)
My newspaper headlined this story "Around the World in 20 Days", and we can
expect a lot of Verne references in the ensuing buzz.
Another angle of interest is this represents the third generation of the
Piccard family to set such a record (the grandfather in the 1950's set a
record for stratospheric ascension in balloon, then in a bathysphere of his
design his son -- the current balloonist's father -- set a record for sea
depth in the Marinas Trench.) Clearly a dynasty to keep an eye on!
RF Bagby
Received on Sun 21 Mar 1999 - 00:17:37 IST

JV.Gilead.org.il
Copyright © Zvi Har’El
$Date: 2009/02/01 22:36:11 $$