Hot - Air - Balloon (1783)

 

"Get in a Supply of taffeta and you will see one of the most astonishig sights in the world."

 - Joseph Montgolfier in a letter to his brother

The Montgolfier Brothers use fire to send humankind aloft.

- Made in 1784, soon after the Montgolfier flight, this engraving shows the proliferation of ballon designs.

- In an early test, a Montogolfier ballon lifts from its heat source, restrained by men on the ground.

Mothersntgolfier Bro

At 1.45 P.M., November 21, 1783, in the courtyard of the Chateau de la Muette on the outsskirts of Paris, the ballon constructed by the brothers Joseph-Michael (1740 - 1810) and Jacques-Etienne de Montgolfier (1745 -1799) made its first manned flight. 

Jean - Francois Pilatre de Rozier & François Laurent le Vieux d'Arlandes

Piloted by a young scientist named Jean - Francois Pilatre de Rozier and an army officeer, the Marquis d'Adlandes, the flight high over the city lasted for twenty five minutes and came to the ground on the Butte-aux-cailles, 10 miles (16Km) from where it had started

Rise of Fire Particles - The  Levity

The Mongolfiers inspiration came from watching a fire burning and speculationg as to the force" That caused the spaks,smoke, and embers to rise. 

envelope of Taffeta

They constructed a large envelope from taffeta, lit a fire beneath the opening, and watched ass it rose to the ceiling. Their experiments grew grander in scale until on September 19,1782, they were called to conduct a royal demonstration in versailles.

The Royal Demonstration in versailles

King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette witnessed the first passenger-carrying air flight - albeit with a sheep, a Duck, and a  rooster in the basket of the balloon. The eight-minute flight saw the Montgolfiers creation rise to a height of 1,500 feet (460 m) before running out of fuel and landing safely 2 miles (3.2 Km) distant.

Science of Hotair Ballon

Inspite of their success, the brothers had still failed to undrstand the science that undrpinned their work. They believed it was smoke from the burning wool and straw that caused their ballon to rise. In fact, the ballon rose because the property of air changes when its temperature is altered: The heated air on the outside, causing it to ascend.

The two brothers were honored by the Frenc Academie des Sciences and both were credited with further important inventions in their careers.