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The Meander boat in Arctic waters. Photo from Polar Expedition Status Quo 23. February 2026 page 18.

2026 Polar Expedition Following Salomon Andrée’s Path

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From June 11th through 24th our staff here at the Balloon Museum will be using the Polar Steps app to follow the journey of our Polar Expedition partners. We invite you to also download this app and follow along with us. The Balloon Museum and the Balloon Museum Foundation are official sponsors of the 2026 Polar Expedition Following Salomon Andrée’s Path.

This Polar Expedition team of twelve will be flying the hot air balloon HB-BAS over the Arctic. During this treacherous journey the team will face subzero temperatures creating the risk of frostbite and malnutrition. Traveling through the Arctic they also run the risk of experiencing snow blindness; having encounters with polar bears; and needing to navigate water-based landings. In order to prepare for this excursion, and to obtain the proper clearances required, the team had to complete rigorous training regulated by the Civil Aviation Authority of Norway (CAA). 

Some of the topics covered in the training included: 

  • managing sleep in a geographic location and time of year where and when the sun never sets;
  • survival tactics to utilize if trapped in an avalanche;
  • launching from a boat;
  • landing in deep snow and Arctic water;
  • constructing an emergency shelter;
  • caring for injuries;
  • thermoregulation: consuming double the calorie requirement due to the cold;
  • and more.

Throughout this excursion, the Polar Expedition team will be capturing video footage which will culminate into a documentary. This debut of this documentary will be featured in the Balloon Museum's Anderson Theater.

"The film documents an extraordinary expedition: a balloon flight dedicated to high-precision isotope measurement. It weaves together modern science with the historic legacy of polar exploration, echoing the voyages of Salomon Andrée and the Amundsen-Nobile flights to the North Pole. Exactly 100 years later, we are the first to plan balloon launches from both historic sites—Danskøya and Ny-Ålesund. The narrative thread of the film is the impact of climate change, centered around the research conducted by Mario Meier and Alex Weitnauer." —Excerpt from Polar Expedition Status Quo 23.

The expedition's team flies over polar bears in their hot air balloon during their training.

The HB-BAS  balloon with the Polar Expedition team flies over a family of polar bears during their training. Photo from Polar Expedition Status Quo 23. February 2026 page 14.

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The Polar Expedition team: "We are a team consisting of hot-air balloon pilots, scientists, and film producers. Our goal is to capture nature footage from unusual perspectives in extraordinary locations around the world. Following the 'Altesch Glacier' projects in the Swiss Alps and the 'Namib Desert' in Namibia, we plan to explore the polar region of Spitsbergen by balloon, in conjunction with a scientific project at EMPA Switzerland."

The expedition's team flies over polar bears in their hot air balloon during their training.

From top left to bottom right:  Danielle Rentsch,  Urs  Schadegg, Mario Meier, Alex Weitnauer, Patrik Schmidle, Ernesto Merz, Molly Winker, Greg Winker, Stephan Baur, Priska Abbühl, Ruedi Abbühl and Astrid Gerhardt. Photos from Polar Expedition Status Quo 23. February 2026 page 2.


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Research Project

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Real-time Measurements of Water Vapor Isotopes in the Arctic Atmosphere

"Isotope measurements involve measuring the weight of the oxygen/vapor mixture in the air. This project is a follow-up to the air measurements from 2010 on Kilimanjaro, in which part of the team participated. These specific measurements have never been performed before. The project is being led by EMPA. EMPA is collaborating on this project with the Alfred Wegener Institute in Bremerhaven." —Excerpt from Polar Expedition—Hot Air Ballooning with the SV Meander in Svalbard, June 2026. 

"While strict nature conservation rules limit most travel to Svalbard, our role as a research expedition opens doors that stay closed to regular tourism. We get to experience places that are off-limits to the general public. We’re not just there for the data though—we want to capture the magic of this untouched landscape in stunning footage and share the story of the Arctic’s fragile beauty."—Excerpt from Polar Expedition Status Quo 23. February 2026 page 17.

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Map A provides an overview of the Svalbard region where the expedition will take place. Map B highlights areas where they anticipate launching.  Images from Polar Expedition Status Quo 23. February 2026 pages 6 and 7.


Pre-Expedition Training

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Collage of two expedition training photos. The top image shows balloonist landing in water with a small raft attached to the balloon's gondola. The second images shows the expedition team with camping tents in heavy snow.Photos from Polar Expedition Status Quo 23. February 2026 page 11.

"The regulation on additional requirements for air transport operations in Svalbard and other polar regions (FOR-2021-08-17-2515), Section 3. Winter training requires that all crew members participating in civil aviation operations in polar regions must complete winter training approved by the Civil Aviation Authority of Norway (CAA)." —Excerpt from Polar Expedition Status Quo 23. February 2026 page 10.

While the CAA safety training program consists of an extensive list of emergency preparations and role-playing drills here are a couple highlights to provide some context on the scope of challenges that lay ahead.

  • Image 1 (above): The Polar Expedition team practicing walking in snowshoes.

  • Image 2 (left): The team practicing landing the balloon in water and deploying a small raft.

  • Image 3 (left): The team practicing setting up camp in heavy snow while dressed in thick insulated attire.


Travel Log (Stay Tuned)

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The Meander

With the CAA training completed, travel permits in-hand, and survival gear packed the Polar Expedition team is ready to retrace the historic path of Salomon Andrée and also forge their own. This journey begins on their boat, the Meander. "The Meander was built in 1946 at a German shipyard in Hamburg. This shipyard in Finkenwerder was known at the time for building strong ships and constructed the Meander with an ice strengthened hull. This means that the Meander can operate without problems in the Arctic. The traditional rigging and the robust hull make this two-masted staysail schooner a particularly seaworthy sailing vessel. Due to its hull shape and length, the Meander moves smoothly in waves. Thanks to the easy handling of the sails and the good sailing characteristics, even people without sailing experience can actively participate in sailing."—Excerpt from Polar Expedition Status Quo 23. February 2026 page 4.

The Meandor, the team's boat in Arctic waters.

The Meander boat in Arctic waters. Photo from Polar Expedition Status Quo 23. February 2026 page 10.

As this monumental journey continues to unfold beginning June 11th through 24th you are invited to follow along using the Polar Steps app. Our team here at the Balloon Museum will also be adding any updates we receive directly from the Polar Expedition team and those updates will be added to this travel log.