Purpose of the flight and payload description
TWO EAGLES was a manned balloon flight performed by Pilots Troy Bradley (USA) and Leonid Tiukhtyaev (Russia), aimed to cross the Pacific, from Japan to North America. A second objective was to capture the world duration record for gas balloons, set in 1978 by the Double Eagle II.
They succeded in their goal. Landing occurred at just off the Baja California coast near La Poza Grande, in Mexico.
Total flight time was six days, 16 hours and 37 minutes. Total distance covered was 6,646 miles (10,696 km).
News coverage of the flight
Details of the balloon flight
Balloon launched on: 1/24/2015 at 21:25 utc
Launch site: Saga, Kyushu Island, Japan
Balloon launched by: Two Eagles Team
Balloon manufacturer/size/composition: Zero Pressure Balloon
End of flight (L for landing time, W for last contact, otherwise termination time): 1/30/2015
Balloon flight duration (F: time at float only, otherwise total flight time in d:days / h:hours or m:minutes - ): 6 d 16 h 37 m
Landing site: Cerca de La Poza Grande, Mexico
External references
- After Crossing Pacific, Record-Setting Balloonists Land Off Baja Coast National Geographic website
- Balloon Crew Makes History Crossing Pacific Ocean NBC News
- Pacific balloon Two Eagles flight website (via Archive.org)
- TWO EAGLES balloon's duration and distance world records ratified by FAI FAI website
Images of the mission
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