Solo round-the-world balloonist set for take off

American adventurer Steve Fossett took a nap this afternoon - probably the last decent shuteye he would get for more than two weeks as he attempts to circle the globe in a balloon.

Fossett was planning to take off from Western Australia at around 9pm (Irish time) tonight in his sixth attempt to fly solo around the world in a balloon.

Weather permitting, he hoped to begin inflating his hot air and helium filled balloon, the Bud Light Spirit of Freedom, in the early hours of Wednesday (Western Australia time).

The 58-year-old millionaire investment tycoon from Chicago needs to have virtually no wind for the four-hour inflation as the slightest gust can topple the 140 foot high balloon and possibly rip it open, ending the attempt before it begins.

Despite his long list of previous failures, Fossett said he was feeling good about his chances.

‘‘I suppose I had confidence in other flights and I believed we were well prepared, but this time they’ve solved all the problems we’ve had in previous flights,’’ he said from the launch site in Northam, a small farming town 60 miles east of Perth.

‘‘No, I’m not confident at all, instead I’m optimistic. I feel this is the best chance we’ve ever had,’’ he added.

Last July he took off from Northam but bad weather forced him to crash land his balloon in Brazil after 12 days. The trip was the longest ever solo balloon flight.

The last flight also was plagued by worries that Fossett, who will be propelled eastward around the globe by high altitude winds, did not have enough oxygen. This time, he’s taking twice as much as last July.

Once he gets airborne, Fossett will sit in a closet-sized kevlar and carbon capsule under the balloon breathing oxygen through a mask and eating military-style rations. The balloon will drift about six miles above sea level for most of the flight.

He will take short naps, maybe grabbing four hours sleep each day. His cramped capsule is full of sophisticated communications and navigational equipment including satellite phones and global positioning system equipment.

A mission control centre at Washington University, St Louis, Missouri, will monitor the flight and weather conditions communicating regularly via e-mail and satellite phone.

Despite the meticulous preparations, Fossett acknowledged luck would play a major part in the success or failure of the flight.

‘‘There are so many things that can go wrong,’’ he said.