Andrée and the Aeronauts' Voyage to the Top of the World

On the 11th of July 1897, the world breathlessly awaited word from
the small Norwegian island of Danskøya in the Arctic Sea. Three
gallant Swedish scientists stationed there were about to embark on
an enterprise of history-making proportions, and newspapers around
the globe had allotted considerable ink to the anticipated
adventure. The undertaking was led by renowned engineer Salomon
August Andrée, and he was accompanied by his research companions
Nils Strindberg and Knut Fraenkel. In the shadow of a 67-foot-wide
spherical hydrogen balloon--one of the largest to have been built
at that time--toasts were drunk, telegrams to the Swedish king were
dictated, hands were shook, and notes to loved ones were pressed
into palms. "Strindberg and Fraenkel!" Andrée cried, "Are you ready
to get into the car?" They were, and they dutifully ducked into the
four-and-a-half-foot tall, six-foot-wide carriage suspended from
the balloon. The whole flying apparatus had been christened the
"Örnen," the Swedish word for "Eagle." "Cut away everywhere!"
Andrée commanded after clambering into the Eagle himself, and the
ground crew slashed at the lines binding the balloon to the Earth.
Hurrahs were offered as the immense, primitive airship pulled away
from the wood-plank hangar and bobbed ponderously into the
atmosphere. Their mission was to be the first humans to reach the
North Pole, taking aerial photographs and scientific measurements
along the way for future explorers. If all went according to plan
they would then touch down in Siberia or Alaska after a few weeks'
flight, laden with information about the top of the world.
Onlookers watched for about an hour as the voluminous sphere shrank
into the distance and disappeared into northerly mists. Andrée,
Strindberg, and Fraenkel would not arrive on the other side of the
planet as planned. But their journey was far from over.