Steve Fossett completed the first solo circumnavigation of Earth by balloon in 2002.
Fossett launched from Northam, Western Australia, on 19 June 2002 aboard the Spirit of Freedom. He landed back in Australia on 3 July, completing the journey in just under 15 days. The flight used a Rozière balloon, which combines helium for buoyancy with heated air for altitude control.
The achievement came after five previous attempts by Fossett had failed for technical or weather-related reasons. During the successful flight, he crossed the Southern Ocean and reached speeds exceeding 300 kilometres per hour in the jet stream. The expedition was supported by a mission-control team that tracked the balloon and supplied weather information.
Fossett should not be confused with Bertrand Piccard, who was part of the first nonstop circumnavigation by a balloon in 1999. Piccard’s flight was a team achievement; Fossett’s was the first solo completion.