Balloon race: One mission proceeds, another is delayed
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Rutan and Melton
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January 8, 1998
Web posted at: 5:26 p.m. EST (2226 GMT)
ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico (CNN) -- U.S. adventurers Dick Rutan
and Dave Melton expect to launch their "Global Hilton"
balloon Friday in a bid to be the first to fly nonstop
around the world.
Rutan and Melton had initially planned to take off from
Albuquerque Tuesday morning but suspended the launch for
up to two weeks because they believed poor wind conditions
made it impossible.
But team spokesman Patrick Barry said they had been too
conservative in suspending the flight and would now try again
in the early hours Friday.
Meanwhile, three European balloonists also trying for the
round-the-world record, have delayed their launch from
Switzerland on Friday until sometime next week because of a
mooring accident.
A cable connecting the "Breitling II" balloon and its
passenger compartment snapped Thursday as the craft was
being moved.
Reuters contributed to this report.