Anderson Abruzzo Albuquerque International Balloon Museum

Update: Polar Expedition Team
June 21, 2026 (Update Received) St. Jonsfjord, Norway

For a full over view of this expedition visit: https://www.cabq.gov/artsculture/balloonmuseum/about/blog/2026-polar-expedition

'On Thursday evening, June 17, we anchor in the cloud-covered St. Jonsfjord. The several-hour journey there took us straight through a bad weather front with rain and snow—what a contrast to the heatwave over Central Europe. '

'On Friday morning, the weather remains unchanged. We rely on the forecast and prepare everything for another launch attempt.'

'The forecast proves accurate: precipitation and wind decrease, and soon conditions are favorable for takeoff. Now everything runs like clockwork. The equipment is brought ashore, and the balloon is set up. Only the nearby glacier gives us some concern—a large break-off of ice could mean we’d have to evacuate the launch site. Fortunately, the glacier spares us.'

'At 15:55, the time has come. The balloon HB-BAS lifts off with pilot Astrid Gerhardt, Rolf Stange, and Greg Winker ( BalloonWinker), painting a rainbow with its colors across the gray sky. Skillfully, Astrid maneuvers the balloon through the fjord into a small sheltered bay—perfect for landing. Simply sensational!'

'And it gets even better. Not even 24 hours later, the fjord and its many glaciers shine in brilliant sunshine, and the wind conditions are still in our favor. By now, the procedures are almost automatic, and soon the balloon is once again ready at the previous day’s launch site. At 11:15, it takes off again—this time with the crew Astrid Gerhardt, Rolf Stange, and Jykke Bewader.'

'The journey leads out over the fjord, where the balloon encounters the SV Meander. The balloon approaches the anchored ship so closely that a burst from the burner startles the cook. No harm done—the meal that follows is still excellent.'

'The wind does not allow for a landing on land, so after nearly two hours, the balloon touches down on the water. Over the radio, we hear that there is still one gas cylinder left—enough to tow the balloon ashore with the Zodiac. However, the wind must not pick up. After a brief moment of tension, all is clear: the towing maneuver succeeds, and the balloon reaches the safety of the shore.'

'The fourth flight is a complete success, and we can hardly believe it—even the most optimistic among us had thought that at most two flights would be possible. In the end, luck with the weather was on our side, but the entire expedition team and the crew of the SV Meander also did outstanding work throughout the week.'

'Overjoyed, we leave St. Jonsfjord and begin our final leg aboard the SV Meander, heading back to Longyearbyen."—Polar Expedition Team

Balloon Museum Foundation

Route 66 Rides (A community partner event.)
July 24, 2026 to July 26, 2026

Hosted by The Gallup Museum and Visit Gallup.
Event location: 215 W Aztec Avenue Gallup, NM 87301

Get your kicks at this exciting, family-friendly event slated for July 24-26, 2026. This FREE event a classic car show, concerts, dance music, kids' games, pedal car races, fire dancers, and the famed Tunnel of Fire on Route 66. There will also be a balloon mass ascension and balloon glow on Route 66, featuring 66 hot air balloons! You are welcome to join the Gallup community to celebrate the Mother Road. We look forward to seeing you for the Route 66 Centennial celebration in 2026.

For a full list of event activities visit: https://www.visitgallup.com/route66rides
and https://www.visitgallup.com/events/annual-gallup-rt-66-rides

The Force was strong with our scavenger hunters this May!

During the month of May, the Balloon Museum hosted a "May the 4th Be With You" scavenger hunt, inviting individuals and families to search for Star Wars-themed balloon pins throughout the museum.

Congratulations to our winners: Anton Libersky, Vanessa Armijo-Cleaver, Tonia Malcomb, and the Braun family!

A special shout-out to the Braun family, who uncovered an extra balloon pin that staff hadn't identified before the contest even began. Apparently, some of our visitors have sharper eyes than the Jedi Council.

Thank you to everyone who participated and helped make the scavenger hunt a galactic success. We loved seeing families explore the museum, put their observation skills to the test, and enjoy a little Star Wars-inspired adventure along the way.

Update: Polar Expedition Team
June 20, 2026 (Update Received) Near Ny Alesund, Norway and now located in St. Jonsfjord, Norway

For more information about the Polar Expedition Team be sure to check out the Balloon Museum's blog: https://www.cabq.gov/artsculture/balloonmuseum/about/blog/2026-polar-expedition
Note: This blog page and Facebook post will be updated with additional photos and more information on Monday when the Balloon Museum staff returns.

"After the magnificent previous day and a long night—the last expedition members didn’t return to the ship until around 3:30 a.m.—it was time for some rest. In the evening, we set out on an excursion to the Krone Glacier. Shortly after leaving the harbor, we managed to spot several whales (including a minke whale). For the first time, time didn’t matter, so the crew decided to switch off the engine and set the sails.'

'The closer we got to the glacier, the more small and large icebergs drifted in the sea. Behind this labyrinth of liquid and solid water, the glacier rises, with rugged, cloud-covered mountains towering above it, their slopes illuminated by the sun. The sea was so calm that this fantastic landscape was reflected on its surface—a majestic sight!'

'For Thursday morning, we had planned a short balloon flight near the mooring mast of the Nobile Expedition, but unfortunately the wind was too strong, and we had to abandon the plan. In addition, the weather forecast was turning against us: a rain front was approaching from the south. If we wanted to get the balloon back in the air, we had no choice but to go south and get behind the bad-weather front.'

'With heavy hearts, we said goodbye to Ny-Ålesund." --Polar Expedition Team

Balloon Museum Foundation

On June 19th, 2002, Steve Fossett launched “Spirit of Freedom”

Exactly three years and three months to the day of when the “Breitling Orbiter 3” became the first balloon to circumnavigate the world, Steve Fossett flew solo around the world in “Spirit of Freedom” (also known as “Bud Light Spirit of Freedom”). Fossett began his attempts six years earlier and tried five times before he finally succeeded with “Spirit of Freedom.” His flight began on June 19th, 2002, leaving Northam, Western Australia and traveling 20,385 miles and came back to Australia landing in Queensland, 14 days, 19 hours, and 50 minutes later (July 4th). “Spirit of Freedom” was a Rozière balloon, like the “Breitling Orbiter 3,” a combination helium and hot-air design–great for extended balloon flights. It was built in conjunction with Don Cameron of Cameron Balloons for the envelope and Tim Cole for the capsule. The capsule, made from fiberglass, is about 7.8 x 5.4 feet and 11 feet tall, making it about the average size of a two-person walk-in closet!

Tim Cole was also the builder for one of the other capsules Fossett used in his previous attempts, the “Solo Spirit” (1997-2001). This capsule was given to the Balloon Museum during COVID by Cole and is currently in storage. The “Spirit of Freedom” capsule was given to the National Air and Space Museum in 2003 by Fossett. It is currently off display and in storage.

Bud Light Spirit of Freedom Capsule | National Air and Space Museum Visit us in Washington, DC and Chantilly, VA to explore hundreds of the world’s most significant objects in aviation and space history. Free timed-entry passes are required for the Museum in DC.

>>>>>>>> Additional photos have been added.

Update: Polar Expedition Team
June 17 and 18, 2026 (Update Received) Near Ny Alesund, Norway

Visit the Balloon Museum's blog page for more details on what is coming up next and to track the team live on the interactive map. https://www.cabq.gov/artsculture/balloonmuseum/about/blog/2026-polar-expedition

"On expeditions, success and failure are often very close to one another. After Pyramiden had brought us little luck, we planned a new attempt in the area around the polar research station of Ny-Ålesund. We reached it after a calm journey early in the morning of June 16, where a humpback whale and an Arctic fox welcomed the SV Meander. Unfortunately, most participants were still in bed at that early hour.'

'As the weather was not yet suitable for ballooning after breakfast, we used the morning to explore Ny-Ålesund. There was even enough time for a walk to the mooring mast of the airship Norge, which set off for the North Pole 100 years ago under the leadership of Umberto Nobile. To conclude our short tour, we were even able to launch a balloon—unfortubately 'only' a weather balloon.'

'In the afternoon, the entire crew was put on alert—the weather data looked promising. Our ship set sail again with the goal of reaching a sheltered spot in the fjord near the Blomstrand Glacier. On the way there, things suddenly became hectic—a polar bear was spotted. It was hunting a reindeer, although it rather seemed as if the reindeer was playing with the bear.'

'Shortly after 3:00 p.m., we arrived at our destination, and it quickly became clear that a balloon flight might actually be possible that day. From then on, everything happened rapidly: the equipment was transported to the shore by zodiacs, and the balloon and scientific instruments were prepared for launch.'

'At 6:05 p.m., the balloon lifted off with pilot Astrid Gerhardt, guide Rolf Stange, and doctoral student Alex Weitnauer. The scenery was breathtaking. Surrounded by a backdrop of sea, mountains, and glaciers, the rainbow-colored balloon floated through the sky—a truly unique sight.'

'The conditions were so good that, after an intermediate landing, a second launch was even possible, allowing another expedition member, Urs Schadegg, to enjoy a balloon flight as well.
What a day! It will remain in our memories for a long time." -Polar Expedition Team

Balloon Museum Foundation Kubicek Balloons