The recent failure of three extraordinarily rich men to pilot their spacecraft/balloon around the world has received international interest for reasons that are not exactly clear. The men were rescued in the Pacific last week by the Coast Guard after having attracted some attention for their voyage over China. Not to rain on the Return of the Heroes Parade or anything, but if this is adventure, we’ll stay home.

It is true that no balloonists had circumnavigated the world before, or, if they had, they did so quietly and, upon landing, returned silently to more substantial projects instead of undertaking the current practice of holding a press conference. But, in any event, there are all manner of accomplishments the human race has yet to attain and is content not to attain — belly-dancing across the Sahara, for instance, or cooperating in Congress. Ballooning around the world in the age of the space shuttle could be added to that list.

The balloon used in this latest attempt has the appropriate corporate-sounding name of ICO Global Challenge to go with its $1 million cost and satellite navigation and communication systems. The gondola, or capsule as they more accurately refer to it, though small, contains the comforts of home, including a CD player and video equipment. The three balloonists — Richard Branson, Per Lindstrand and Steve Fossett — use video cameras mounted outside the capsule and computer screens to pilot the balloon. Apparently, putting in windows large enough so that the three could actually look where they were going was deemed too life-like, so computer simulation was used instead.

The highlight of the trip adventure-wise was when the ICO Global Challenge drifted over Tibet after China had withdrawn its overflight permission. The question put to a public was, what if the Chinese shoot down the balloon? Good theater, but lousy odds of that happening. Who but the most gullible could conclude that the Chinese would shoot down and risk setting loose three overheated capitalists on an unsuspecting countryside?

In the end, the adventurers quit when faced with adverse weather. They set their capsule down conveniently near the Hawaiian island of Oahu, a Coast Guard crew picked them up minutes later and the trip ended with no more discomfort than the average Mainer takes when he or she flies between Bangor and Boston in a snowstorm. Except on the flight to Logan there are no movies.