ballooning: Quick Facts

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Photos and Videos

Hot-air balloons in the 1965 U.S. National Championship balloon races at Reno, Nevada

Labeled diagram of a hot air balloon showing key components: the colorful envelope with gores, parachute valve at the top, skirt at the base, burners and wind guard above the woven basket where passengers ride.

See the mass ascension of balloons at Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, 2010

How Did the Montgolfier Brothers' Hot-Air Balloon Contribute to Aviation?

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Key People

Bertrand Piccard, 1999.

Bertrand Piccard

Swiss aviator

Richard Branson

Richard Branson

British entrepreneur

Steve Fossett, wearing a flight suit and red harness, smiles while seated in the cockpit of the Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer aircraft at NASA Kennedy Space Center.

Steve Fossett

American aviator

Brian Jones, 1999.

Brian Jones

British aviator

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Ed Yost

American engineer

André-Jacques Garnerin.

André-Jacques Garnerin

French parachutist

Assorted sports balls including a basketball, football, soccer ball, tennis ball, baseball and others.

American Sports Nicknames