Stephen Hawking Rides in Balloon

antiquity · 03-05-2002, 01:02 PM

Stephen Hawking Rides in Balloon
Tue Mar 5, 1:38 AM ET

LONDON - Stephen Hawking, the scientist who has turned ideas of time and space on their heads, fulfilled a lifelong dream of riding in a hot-air balloon.

On Monday, the 60-year-old theoretical physicist, who has been confined to a wheelchair for most of his life, floated across the Cambridgeshire countryside with his wife, Elaine.

Changes were made to the hot-air balloon's basket to accommodate a wheelchair, according to Virgin Balloon Flights, which arranged the trip.

"It's something he had always wanted to do and had been a lifelong dream for him," said a Virgin spokeswoman, who declined to be named.

"But to take a balloon flight in a wheelchair is extremely difficult."

03-05-2002, 01:02 PM	#1
antiquity Moderator Join Date: Jul 2001 Posts: 14,540	Stephen Hawking Rides in Balloon Stephen Hawking Rides in Balloon Tue Mar 5, 1:38 AM ET LONDON - Stephen Hawking, the scientist who has turned ideas of time and space on their heads, fulfilled a lifelong dream of riding in a hot-air balloon. On Monday, the 60-year-old theoretical physicist, who has been confined to a wheelchair for most of his life, floated across the Cambridgeshire countryside with his wife, Elaine. Changes were made to the hot-air balloon's basket to accommodate a wheelchair, according to Virgin Balloon Flights, which arranged the trip. "It's something he had always wanted to do and had been a lifelong dream for him," said a Virgin spokeswoman, who declined to be named. "But to take a balloon flight in a wheelchair is extremely difficult."

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