September 5, 2007—As of this afternoon, searches have continued to reveal no trace of renowned pilot Steve Fossett, who has now been missing for more than 48 hours.

Fossett is among the world's most recognized adventurers, holding official records for racing sailboats, gliders, airships, and powered aircraft. He is probably best known for completing the world's first solo, nonstop, round-the-world balloon flight in 2002.

Fossett took off from a private airstrip in Nevada on Monday morning on a scouting mission to find a dry lakebed—part of an attempt to set a new land speed record—but lost contact shortly afterward. Now rescuers are working blind, since the aviator had not filed a flight plan and has not activated his emergency beacon.

(Fossett has been recognized with a Distinction in Exploration by the National Geographic Society, which owns National Geographic News.)