It's the charming fantasy of Jules Verne—for most of us. But for a few diehard daredevils, it's "the last great challenge in aviation": to fly a balloon non-stop around the world (in 20 days or so)- simply because it's never been done before. Are these guys full of hot air? Follow on the foremost teams- a self-made British billionaire (Richard Branson, upstart head of Virgin Atlantic Airways), a Swedish balloon designer (Per Lindstrand), and a British skydiving champion (Rory McCarthy)- in a hair-raising race against hot competition to build a balloon that can circle the globe. The plan: to hitch a ride on the high-altitude jet stream, a daring feat that can be accomplished only inside a pressurized cabin- and within a narrow window of time. The pressure is on: Trail the fearless trio as they train for a crash landing in the ocean or for sky-diving from 35,000 feet up (and 70 degrees below). Watch them tackle uncooperative weather, untested equipment, and overstrained budgets- not to mention some countries along the route who are threatening to (quite literally) burst their balloon. For a few diehard daredevils, it's "the last great challenge in aviation:" to fly a balloon non-stop around the world- simply because it's never been done before. Follow one of the foremost teams- a self-made British billionaire, a Swedish balloon designer, and a British sky-diving champion- in a hair-raising race against time, technology, and hot competition.