MISSION CONTROLLERS CELEBRATE SUCCESS OF BREITLING ORBITER 3, 1999-03-20 (photo)

Meteorologist Luc Trullemans of Belgium, flight director Alan Noble of Great Britain, project manager Stefano Albinati of Switzerland, and meteorologist Pierre Eckert of Switzerland toast with glasses of champagne at the Breitling Orbiter 3 flight control center in Geneva on March 20. Swiss Bertrand Piccard and Briton Brian Jones became the first men ever to fly round the world non-stop in a hot air balloon when they crossed the 9 degree 27 minute west line of longitude over Mauretania exactly 20 days after their Breitling Orbiter 3 took off from Switzerland. DB/MR/CLH/