In 2003 the launch was initially set to take place on September 2 from the deck of RV Triton off the coast of St Ives.
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The two pilots, Andy Elson and Colin Prescot, were to occupy an open deck, relying on Zvezda-manufactured Sokol space suits to keep them alive during the anticipated twelve-hour flight.
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The current balloon flight record was set by Malcolm Ross (USNR) and Victor Prather (USN), who took the Strato-Lab V balloon to 34,668 m (113,740 ft) on May 4, 1961 above the Gulf of Mexico.
It was planned that the crew of the British QinetiQ 1 high altitude balloon would wear modified Sokol suits purchased from Zvezda.