The giant high-altitude balloon, bathed in the desert's golden morning light, drifted slowly into the sky above Northam, a small mining town 100 km (62 miles) east of Perth, just after 7.00 a.m. (2300 GMT).
Two weeks ago, Fossett's hot air balloon took off from eastern Northam in Western Australia. After a flight of 31,380 kilometers, the seasoned adventurer's hot air balloon was aloft over his starting point at 117 east longitude.
