Media FAQ (frequently asked questions)

Q: How many previous attempts has Fossett made to circumnavigate the globe via balloon and what were the outcomes?

A: Fossett has made four previous solo attempts, as well as one attempt as part of team with Richard Branson and Per Lindstrand. In detail:

Solo Spirit — Mendoza, Argentina to the Coral Sea
- August 7-16, 1998 (205 hours, 59 minutes)
- Distance traveled: 14,235.33 statute miles (22,910 km)
- Absolute World Distance Record superceded
- Longest Solo Aircraft Flight
- First crossing of the South Atlantic and the Indian oceans
- Attempt ended when a thunderstorm tore open Fossett’s balloon and plunged him 29,000 feet (8,800m) into the Coral Sea 500 miles east of Australia. He was located by French and Australian planes and rescued by a yacht.

Solo Spirit — Busch Stadium, St. Louis, Missouri to Grechanaya, Russia
- January 1-5, 1998 (108 hours, 23 minutes)
- Distance traveled: 5,802.94 statute miles
- First crossing of the European continent
- Attempt ended due to technical problems and lack of overflight clearance. Early in the flight, on Jan. 2, Fossett was forced to unload about 80 gallons of fuel – 10% of his 20-day supply — over the Atlantic to raise the balloon over a bad weather system. Then, winds changed, putting him on a trajectory to pass over Libya, a country from which he had not yet received overflight permission. He changed course to avoid Libya, but in doing so encountered very light winds that slowed his speed to as low as 20 miles per hour.

Solo Spirit — St. Louis, Missouri to Sultanpur, India
- January 13-20, 1997 (146 hours, 44 minutes)
- Distance traveled: 10,360.61 statute miles
- Absolute World Distance Record and Absolute World Duration Record superceded
- Attempt aborted primarily because a heater in the unpressurized capsule failed and the solenoid malfunctioned and could not be repaired in-flight.

Solo Challenger – Rapid City, South Dakota to New Brunswick, Canada
- January 9-10,1996 (51.13 hours)
- Distance traveled: 1,819 miles
- Attempted ended due to electrical failure

ICO Global Challenger - Marrakech, Morocco to Hawaii (with Richard Branson and Per Lindstrand)
- December 16-25, 1998 (178 hours)
- Distance traveled: 12,403.07 statute miles
- First crossing of the Asian continent
- Attempt ended due to trajectory failure

Q: How can I cover the balloon launch?

A: Location of Launch
Northam is about 60 miles east of Perth and 275 miles west of Kalgoorlie, the original launch site. Persistent surface winds at Kalgoorlie, like the one that tore Solo Spirit in an aborted launch June 17, forced Fossett and his team to examine alternate launch sites. The crew surveyed 3 surface sites and 3 mining pits and exhausted all possible launch opportunities in the Kalgoorlie area before a decision was made to launch from Northam.
Australia was selected as the launch site because taking off from Australia should enable Fossett to better manage the thunderstorm risk. The danger is greatest over the Coral Sea, so launching within a day’s flight of that trouble spot makes the weather there more “forecastable.” He is launching inland at Kalgoorlie so that he will have a day to abort and land if there are serious equipment problems, before heading out over the Pacific Ocean. To successfully qualify as a RTW flight, Fossett must land east of the longitude from which he ascended. If he left from the eastern coast of Australia, he’d have to splash down in the Pacific Ocean to qualify.

Red, Yellow and Green Coding System
The Red, Yellow, Green coding system is used by the mission meteorologist to describe the likelihood that forecasted weather patterns would allow the balloon to be launched. The launch status is expressed as one of the following codes: Red means there is no possibility of a launch due to weather conditions. Yellow means the team is evaluating a possible launch date, but chances of a launch are marginal and the forecast is too long to be certain of conditions. Green means there is a high degree of confidence for a launch. However, even at Code Green, the launch can be postponed at any time. The Web site and the listserv will be the best places to follow any updates to the mission launch code.

News-quality photos, video or audio from the launch
Video: The Solo Spirit balloon launch has been generating substantial media interest in Australia and professional media coverage of the lift-off will likely be available from Australian-based news operations; check with your affiliate network or contact the Solo Spirit media hotline — (314) 935-9600 — for specific news outlets that may have footage available.
Photos: Several professional-quality, high-resolution images will be available on a daily basis via the Solo Spirit Web page. Low-resolution, thumbnail versions of these photos will be posted to the Solo Spirit Web site for perusal and selection purposes. Media outlets may obtain publishable, high-resolution versions of these images via e-mail by following instructions posted in the online image archive.

Reuters and other international news services have photographers on-the-ground in Northam and a few have made advance arrangements to be aboard a small chase plane that will be attempting to rendezvous with Solo Spirit to obtain images as possible throughout the mission. Many of these images may be available through the normal photo services of various international news services.
Audio: The Solo Spirit radio actuality service will provide radio stations with a current selection of broadcast-quality soundbites via an automated phone system offering pre-recorded actualities. Whenever possible, newsworthy comments from Fossett and other members of the mission team will be culled from news conferences and phone interviews and made available via the radio actuality service: 1-800-717-8009.

Q: How can I arrange an interview with Fossett’s team or mission spokespersons?

A: Some members of Fossett’s mission control and launch team and other mission spokespersons will generally be available for interviews before, during and after the mission. For a detailed summary of potential media interview sources, along with brief biographical information, please visit the media information section of the Solo Spirit Web site.

Before launch, interview requests are best directed to the Office of Public Affairs at Washington University in St. Louis: 314-935-5230.

During the mission, the Solo Spirit media assistance hotline (314-935-9600) will be the best starting point for all interview requests. The hotline will be staffed 24/7 throughout the mission; phone bank volunteers will be available to answer basic questions, provide routine updates and process requests for on-the-record interviews with members of the mission team and other designated spokespersons.

After the mission, the Solo Spirit media assistance hotline (314-935-9600) will continue to carry a recorded message offering a summary of the mission’s conclusion and details on where media should direct any requests for follow-up interviews with Fossett or members of his mission team. Assistance will be available long term by contacting the Office of Public Affairs at Washington University in St. Louis: 314-935-5230.

Q: How can I arrange an interview with Steve Fossett?

A: Pre-launch interviews
As he prepares his launch and flight, Fossett generally will not be available for interviews with individual media outlets. He may be available for questions as part of news conference, which will be scheduled as warranted. If you are interested in speaking with someone from mission control prior to the launch, please contact the Washington University’s Office of Public Affairs at 314-935-5230 for more information.

Interviews with Fossett from Australia
When Fossett arrives in Australia, he may or may not be available for interviews, depending on the launch window. Errol Considine will manage a pre-launch press conference in Northam, Western Australia which will be announced on the Solo Spirit Web site. For more information, please contact him at errol@rhk.com.au or on his mobile phone 618-04-1991-2832.

In-flight interviews
Steve will not do interviews during his flight, although his conversation with passengers on a mission chase plane may be recorded and made available to the media. Please contact the media assistance phone line at (314) 935-9600 for more information.

Interviews after landing
All post-flight press conferences will be announced on this Web site. Please contact the media assistance phone line at (314) 935-9600 for more information.

Q: What are the reporting facilities from mission control at Washington University?

A: Location of mission control
Washington University’s Brookings Hall, the Collegiate Gothic 1902 building overlooking St. Louis’ famed Forest Park, will serve as mission control for Steve Fossett’s upcoming Solo Spirit attempt to fly around the world in a balloon. As it did for two of Fossett’s previous balloon missions, Brookings 300 will host approximately six members of his flight team, as well as Washington University students, faculty and staff assisting in the mission. The room is partitioned into two sections, one for mission control operations and the other for a media center. A campus map is available on the university’s main Web site, www.wustl.edu.

Location of campus and Brookings Hall
Brookings Hall, the University’s main administrative building, is located on the Hilltop Campus, just west of Forest Park. From downtown St. Louis, take U.S. Highway 40/61 west to the Clayton Road/Skinker Boulevard exit; head north on Skinker (right turn off highway); the campus will come into view on the left as you pass Forsyth Boulevard; turn left from Skinker onto Brookings Drive; Brookings Hall is straight ahead at the top of the hill — the red granite building with the large central archway at the top of the staircase. Directions to campus are available on the university’s main Web site, < a href="http://www.wustl.edu">www.wustl.edu.
Parking for media covering the mission
Media may park in either of the two main campus parking lots along Skinker Boulevard just below Brookings Hall. A bright yellow SOLO SPIRIT PARKING PASS can be obtained on request from the shift supervisor’s desk in mission control, Brookings 300; media displaying this pass on their dashboard will be allowed to park in any green or yellow parking space on campus.

Special parking for television/satellite production trucks
Parking for television trucks and heavy equipment will be reserved in the circle drive below Brookings Hall on an as-needed basis.

Finding mission control inside Brookings Hall
Mission control is located in Room 300, Brookings Hall, which is the room just above the main central archway joining the north and south wings of Brookings. Mission control is accessible only from the doors leading into North Brookings. Use the door under the archway on the right and follow the signs.

Media credentials
Yes. Media working in mission control should stop by the shift supervisor’s desk in Room 300 during their first visit and request a media registration packet. You will be asked to sign-in and provide the name of your media outlet. You’ll be issued a red laminated Solo Spirit media access pass, which should be kept visible while working in mission control. Media are encouraged to check-in at the shift supervisor’s desk on each subsequent visit so that they can be alerted of breaking news or recently scheduled media events. It also will help us track you down should we get phone calls for you from your newsroom.

After hours mission control access
Media who want access to mission control outside normal business hours must make advance arrangements to gain entry to Brookings Hall because the building’s main doors are locked on weekends and between 6 p.m. and 7 a.m. on weekdays. Magnetic-strip swipe cards allowing 24-hour access to Brookings Hall are available to credentialed media on request during normal business hours at the mission control media center.

News briefings scheduling
Media briefings will be held as necessary in the Solo Spirit media center in mission control. Advance notice of briefing sessions will be provided whenever possible and summaries will be available on the Web site and radio service.

Fax, phone and Internet connections for media at mission control
Yes. A fully-equipped media filing center has been established in Bookings 400, which is accessible from the north balcony overlooking mission control in Room 300. Media workstations in Room 400 include electrical power outlets, multiple phone lines and two computers for accessing and printing from the Solo Spirit Web site. Media may request use of a staff fax machine located in Room 400; incoming faxes to this machine should be directed to 314-935-9633.

Protocol for arranging interviews at mission control
For interview requests prior to the launch, please contact the University’s public affairs office at (314) 935-5230. During the mission, off-campus media may call the main Solo Spirit Media Hotline at 314-935-9600 to request advance arrangements for interviews to be conducted in mission control. Media will be allowed to film mission control workstations on the western half of Room 300, but they will not be allowed to enter this section for interviews. Members of the mission, science and weather teams must concentrate on their mission assignments and they should not be disturbed with unauthorized interview requests. All interviews must be arranged and coordinated through the on-site public affairs staff, one of whom will always be stationed at the shift supervisor’s desk in Room 300.

General public viewing of the operations of mission control
Yes, a small public viewing area has been established in a balcony overlooking Mission control operations in Brookings 300. The public will have access to the area between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. on a daily basis throughout the mission. Access to the public viewing area will be through the southern doors located under the main archway connecting the South and North wings of Brookings Hall.

Q: What are the details of how to report from Mission Control?

A: Solo Spirit Web site: solospirit.wustl.edu
The go-to place for the balloon mission, this Web site is the best way to obtain latest news concerning the Solo Spirit mission. A special link to a live Web cam of Steve Fossett’s launch will be activated on launch day. The site also features maps of Fossett’s flight path, hourly logs of mission progress, media kit information, downloadable photos, balloon data, and news releases including information on Fossett’s June 17, 2001, aborted launch. Click on the hot links at the top of the Web page for a wealth of resources on the flight.

E-mail update service
While viewing the Web site, sign up for the balloon mission listserv that will offer alerts on possible launch dates, news conferences and important developments. Once the mission is under way, detailed summaries will be e-mailed approximately every 12 hours, and more frequent updates will be sent as the news warrants. See the box at the bottom left-hand corner of the main page of solospirit.wustl.edu for details on how to sign up for this free service.

Solo Spirit media assistance phone: (314) 935-9600
Call the Solo Spirit media assistance phone line for all balloon-related media inquiries and requests for interviews with the mission control and science teams. The phone center will be staffed 24 hours a day during the mission. If all lines are busy, leave a voice-mail message and your call will be returned as soon as possible. (Note: Fossett is not able to do interviews during the mission.)

Radio-related service: 1-800-717-8009
A toll-free service will make it easy for radio news staff to access updated information and broadcast-quality actualities to use in reporting on Fossett’s progress. Radio station staff may call for mission updates, as well as broadcast-quality actualities from mission control. Covered subjects will include balloon position, weather information and the speed at which Fossett is circumnavigating the globe. From the time the balloon is launched until it returns to earth, the service will offer at least four daily updates and dozens of actualities from mission control. (The actual number of reports will depend upon how quickly and successfully the trip is progressing.) The phone line will be active 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to provide the information stations need when they need it. For more information, call Jim Dryden at (314) 286-0110.

Periodic media briefings
Media briefings will be provided as necessary in the Solo Spirit media center, located in Room 300 of Brookings Hall, Washington University in St. Louis. The media center is in the same location as the Solo Spirit mission control team, which will be tracking Fossett’s flight. Advance notice of briefing sessions will be provided whenever possible and summaries will be available on the Web site and radio service.