"I'd be very surprised if we had any damage as a result of debris shedding ... We will be flying much more safely than we've ever flown before," Bill Readdy, NASA associate administrator, told reporters Friday."The first solo nonstop is a grand endeavor," said Fossett. "If successful, I hope to earn a place in aviation history in the legacy of Wiley Post." In 1933, Post rounded the globe after stopping eleven times in just under eight days Fossett wants to finish -- without stopping -- in under 80 hours.He's already proved himself to be a modern-day Magellan. In 2002, Fossett became the first solo balloonist to circle the globe nonstop, despite an on-board fire and dangerous winds. Two years later, he and his crew made the fastest circumnavigation on a sailing ship -- 58 days.Discovery and Atlantis will be so-called rescue shuttles for each other should something go wrong. NASA has been readying both shuttles side by side.Because of these restrictions there are only a limited number of opportunities to launch the space shuttle. The first starts May 15 and runs through June 3, when NASA hopes to launch Discovery. The second window opens July 12, when NASA hopes to launch Atlantis. He's already proved himself to be a modern-day Magellan. In 2002, Fossett became the first solo balloonist to circle the globe nonstop, despite an on-board fire and dangerous winds. Two years later, he and his crew made the fastest circumnavigation on a sailing ship -- 58 days.The October flight of Rutan's SpaceShipOne won his team the $10 million X Prize, an award from a nonprofit foundation aimed at spurring civilian space flight.The shuttle fleet has been grounded since Columbia broke apart over Texas while on landing approach to Florida's Kennedy Space Center on February 1, 2003.The CAIB made 15 recommendations to NASA on ways to improve the shuttle program.The daylight launch restriction may be lifted if both Discovery and Atlantis go up without any critical debris falling off the external tank during liftoff. NASA has been testing a new radar which it claims day or night has a better eye than optical cameras for debris shedding from the external tank.Because of these restrictions there are only a limited number of opportunities to launch the space shuttle. The first starts May 15 and runs through June 3, when NASA hopes to launch Discovery. The second window opens July 12, when NASA hopes to launch Atlantis. Fossett has partnered with two men whose experience may be invaluable to the mission: fellow adventurer and Virgin Atlantic chief Sir Richard Branson and aircraft designer Burt Rutan, whose plane Voyager launched brother Dick Rutan and co-pilot Jeana Yeager around the world without refueling in 1986.
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