Gondola, Breitling Orbiter 3

Breitling Orbiter 3Bertrand Piccard and Brian Jones guided the balloon Breitling Orbiter 3 up and away from the Swiss Alpine village of Chateau d'Oex at 8:05, GMT, 1March 1999. They landed in the Egyptian desert 19 days, 21 hours and 55 minutes later (21 March 1999), having traveled a distance of over 29,000 miles and completed the first non-stop flight around the world with a free balloon.The success of Breitling Orbiter 3 was based on the lessons learned during two previous attempts to fly around the globe in 1997 (Breitling Orbiter) and 1998 (Breitling Orbiter 2). That experience enabled the Breitling team to develop trustworthy technical systems and a basic strategy that called for Piccard and Jones to pilot their balloon to altitudes of over 30,000 feet, where jet stream winds would drive it across the Pacific at speeds of over 100 miles per hour.Breitling Orbiter 3 was designed and built by Cameron Balloons, of Bristol, England. When fully inflated it stands 180 feet (55 meters) tall. The envelope is constructed of a nylon fabric welded to a helium-tight membrane covered with an outer protective skin that is coated with aluminum on both sides to provide improved thermal control. The shape and special features of the envelope were designed to insure maximum temperature stability in order to conserve helium and reduce propane consumption.The envelope is a Rozier design, combining the advantages of helium and hot air technologies to create a balloon capable of extended flights. A large cell of helium is placed within a specially designed hot air balloon. Six propane-fed burners warm the helium at night, while a system of insulation and vents reduce the effect of solar heating during the day. The result is a balloon that remains at a fairly constant altitude, conserving helium and making it possible to remain aloft for extended periods. The propane gas that fueled the six burners of Breitling Orbiter 3 was contained in 28 titanium cylinders mounted in two rows along the sides of the gondola.Their epic journey was applauded as one of the great aviation adventures of the century. Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain spoke for millions around the world in a special message to the balloonists: "The news of your splendid achievement has delighted us all."