World Record Balloon Flight From Japan to North America

Current Flight Status:

Celestial Eagle pilots Troy Bradley and Peter Cuneo, with the advice of their meteorologists and the flight team, have decided to abandon their attempt to make a gas balloon crossing of the Pacific Ocean this year. The pilots and team will put their equipment into storage in Japan with the intent of attempting the flight during the 2008-09 winter season.

Team meteorologists Lou Billones and Don Day have been carefully monitoring the weather conditions and have concluded that the weather will not improve enough in the next two weeks to allow for a safe crossing this season These conditions included stringent wind conditions required for a launch from Saga, Japan, a fast, weather free follow-on ocean crossing of about 11,000 km, and a storm free landing in North America after 5 - 10 days aloft.

Billones further describes: "Our concern was heightened because this winter is considered a "La Nina" Season (colder water temperatures in the Tropical Central and Eastern Pacific Ocean) with wind patterns differing form the normal patterns. The difference typified by a persistent high-pressure area (blocking high) south of Alaska forcing the potential balloon tracks into the Gulf of Alaska, or with major storms flowing under a weakened blocking high into the Pacific Northwest."

"Our historical analysis of past La Nina Seasons indicated a possibility of four opportunities for a crossing. But, we found all potential launches from Saga and the crossing of the Western Pacific, while successful, would not have been able to work around the blocking high or Pacific Northwest storms resulting in flight failure."

Day adds, "The winter season over the Pacific began with weak to moderate La Nina conditions and will end the season in moderate to strong La Nina conditions. The increasing intensity of La Nina, especially in late January and into February has resulted in very intense Pacific storms and unusually strong winter storms in eastern Asia."

The Celestial Eagle team and pilots Bradley and Cuneo hope to set a new absolute distance record for straight gas balloons (those using a lighter-than-air gas such as helium for lift without the aid of other technologies such as hot air). Achieving the distance record would require a flight of approximately 5,300 miles or 8,500 km. The current record was set by the Double Eagle V crew during a 1981 trans-Pacific crossing.

The team thanks the people of Japan, and especially the people of Saga, for their hospitality and support during the two months the Celestial Eagle team awaited launch. The team looks forward to returning to Saga in the hopes of completing a successful flight next year.

All of the members of the Celestial Eagle team are still hoping for the safe recovery of Japanese balloonist Michio Kanda, who was reported missing during a trans-Pacific attempt in a hot air balloon earlier this year. Their thoughts and prayers are with Michio Kanda's family and friends.

News / Info

Preparations are underway in Saga, Japan. There is a lot of work to be done, and the Saga Balloon Pilots Association and balloon team members have been a big help.

Feb 11, 2008

The Celestial Eagle crew along with many members of the Saga Balloon Pilots Association and local balloon teams that will be on hand to help with the inflation, use a crane to test how the "clumps" of sandbags will hang on the inflated balloon. Bert Pedelt and Jim Duncan ( the ones hanging the sandbags) wanted to be certain the lines and color of bags would not mix when hanging. There will be the same clump at each corner of the basket. The sandbags are color coded. As Peter and Troy drop ballast (cut away bags) in flight, they will use all of one color at a time, that way they, and the command center will know exactly how many bags (lbs. / kg) of ballasts is left. [ Photos ]

January 13, 2008

After the 8 tons of sand had been bagged, Saga balloon team members tour the Celestial Eagle capsule where Troy Bradley and Peter Cuneo will be spending a lot of time as they attempt to establish a new distance record for helium balloons. Weather patterns across the Pacific Ocean so far have been unfavorable. [ Photos ]
See also: http://photos.yahoo.co.jp/dol1216

Jan 10, 2008 - Celestial Eagle Team Receives Flag of Saga, Japan

Troy Bradley, one of the two balloon pilots of the Celestial Eagle team receives the flag of Saga, Japan from the Mayor of Saga, Toshiyuki Hideshima. The balloon crew, Troy Bradley and Peter Cuneo, both from Albuquerque, New Mexico, will display this flag of Saga on their balloon during their upcoming attempt at breaking the absolute distance and possibly duration record(s) for helium balloons. [ Photos ] [ Read more: Project Page ]

Jan 05, 2008 - The Celestial Eagle Sand Drying Factory in Saga, Japan

Celestial Eagle will be carrying over 10,000 lbs. / 4,500 kg of sand as usable ballast. This sand must first be obtained, dried, cleaned/sifted, then bagged into 400 bags. 25 - 30 Japanese crew members from many local balloon teams assist in the drying, cleaning and bagging of 8 tons of sand in Saga Japan, Jan. 5, 2008. [ Photos ]