On This Day

Steve Fossett becomes the first person to fly solo nonstop around the world in a balloon

James Stephen Fossett (April 22, 1944 – September 3, 2007) was an American businessman and a record-setting aviator, sailor, and adventurer.

James Stephen Fossett (April 22, 1944 – September 3, 2007) was an American businessman and a record-setting aviator, sailor, and adventurer. He was the first person to fly solo nonstop around the world in a balloon and in a fixed-wing aircraft. He made his fortune in the financial services industry and held world records for five nonstop circumnavigations of the Earth: as a long-distance solo balloonist, as a sailor, and as a solo flight fixed-wing aircraft pilot.

A fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and the Explorers Club, Fossett set more than one hundred records in five different sports, sixty of which still stood at the time of his death.

Historical Significance

James Stephen Fossett (April 22, 1944 – September 3, 2007) was an American businessman and a record-setting aviator, sailor, and adventurer.

Events Before

  1. Angourie Rice is born

    Angourie Rice, Australian actress, known for australian actress, was born on 2001-01-01. Angourie Isabel Teresa Rice is an Australian actress.

  2. Washington Wizards forward Michael Jordan becomes the fourth player in NBA history to score 30,000 career points when he

    Washington Wizards forward Michael Jordan becomes the fourth player in NBA history to score 30,000 career points when he hits a free throw in the second quarter of an 89-83 win against his old team, the Chicago Bulls

  3. Wikipedia, a free Wiki or content encyclopedia, is launched by Jimmy Wales and Larry Sanger

    Lawrence Mark Sanger is an American Internet project developer and philosopher who co-founded Wikipedia, along with Jimmy Wales.

  4. Tennis star Boris Becker (34) divorces designer Barbara Feltus (35) after 8 years of marriage

    Tennis star Boris Becker (34) divorces designer Barbara Feltus (35) after 8 years of marriage

  5. MLB outfielder David Justice (34) weds model Rebecca Villalobos

    MLB outfielder David Justice (34) weds model Rebecca Villalobos

Events After

  1. Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrates during reentry into the Earth's atmosphere, killing all seven astronauts aboard.

    On Saturday, February 1, 2003, Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated as it re-entered the atmosphere over Texas and Louisiana, killing all seven astronauts on board.

  2. An estimated 6-11 million people around the world take to the streets to protest against war with Iraq

    Beginning in late 2002 and continuing after the 2003 invasion of Iraq, large-scale protests against the Iraq War were held in many cities worldwide, often coordinated to occur simultaneously around…

  3. Bill Maher's political talk show "Real Time with Bill Maher" debuts on HBO

    Real Time with Bill Maher is an American television talk show created, written and presented by Bill Maher, and has been airing on HBO since 2003, with an audio-only podcast, with episodes at least…

  4. Actor Paul Rudd (33) weds publicist Julie Yaeger

    Actor Paul Rudd (33) weds publicist Julie Yaeger

  5. The journal Nature reports that 350,000-year-old footprints of an upright-walking human have been found in Italy

    The journal Nature reports that 350,000-year-old footprints of an upright-walking human have been found in Italy

More from the 2000s

Frequently Asked Questions

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James Stephen Fossett (April 22, 1944 – September 3, 2007) was an American businessman and a record-setting aviator, sailor, and adventurer. He was the first person to fly solo nonstop around the world in a balloon and in a fixed-wing aircraft. He made his fortune in the financial services industry and held world records for five nonstop circumnavigations of the Earth: as a long-distance solo balloonist, as a sailor, and as a solo flight fixed-wing aircraft pilot.
Why is Steve Fossett becomes the first person to fly solo nonstop around the world i... significant?
James Stephen Fossett (April 22, 1944 – September 3, 2007) was an American businessman and a record-setting aviator, sailor, and adventurer.

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