NOVA - Official Website | Ben Franklin's Balloons NOVA Search... Ben Franklin's Balloons Experts recreate the French's daring first manned flights, which Franklin had chronicled. Airing October 22, 2014 at 9 pm on PBS Aired October 22, 2014 on PBS Program Description The first stage in human flight didn’t begin with the Wright brothers at Kitty Hawk, but with daring inventors and aeronauts in 18th century Paris. In a period of just 19 months, humanity not only left the ground for the first time—a moment as significant as the Apollo moon landing—but thanks to a handful of brilliant and colorful pioneers, developed all the essential features of today's hot air and gas balloons. Their exploits fascinated Benjamin Franklin, who was serving in Paris as the American ambassador. He reported that these early flights brought tens of thousands of citizens into the streets to watch the spectacle. To explore this burst of innovation, NOVA recreates key flights, including the world’s first manned voyage that took place on November 21, 1783.

Joining the team will be a descendant of the Montgolfier brothers, inventors of the hot-air balloon, who will build an accurate replica of the fragile paper and canvas craft using 18th century tools and materials. NOVA reveals the secrets of how the Montgolfiers invented flight and relives the experiences of the balloon pioneers who left Earth for the first time.

FLIGHT DIRECTOR AND TECHNICAL ADVISOR Francois Moizard Library of Congress - © All rights reserved Musée Carnavalet – Cabinet des Arts Graphiques Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace du Bourget Pond5 RMN SPECIAL THANKS Chí¢teau de Versailles, Jeanne Hollande and Olivier Jauneau, Chí¢teau de Fontainebleau, Sonia Fitoussi and Jérôme Tréca, Bibliothèque Nationale de France, Florence Grohens and Jean-Yves Sarazin, Manufacture Zuber, Giselle Chalaye, Chí¢teau de Douvres and English Heritage, Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum, Karen Dethomas, Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace, Catherine Maunoury, Alain Dégardin, Catherine Lebert, Christian Tilatti, Pascale Nizet, Florence Greffe, Patrick Libert and Rafael Tamargo, Vincent Wilding, Sébastien Rico, Lizzie and Simon Phillips, Romain Durand, André Linocier, Olivier Dussopt, Aí¯da Boyer, Patrick Tete, Marie Hélène Reynaud, Musée des papeteries Canson

, Musée Montgolfier, Roland de Montgolfier, Bruno Gillier, Chí¢teau de Brogieux, Anne and Bruno Detanger, Moulin Richard de bas, Emmanuel Kerbourc'h, Michel Sabate, Emilie Rouillon and Rémi Chaléat, Thierry Villey, Frédéric Moizard, Philippe Buron-Pilatre, Valérie Lefèvre, Léonard N.

Rosenband, Philippe de Fabry, Philippe Foubert, Denis Capdegelle, Jonathan Harris, les peintures Zolpan, Marilee Schmit Nason, Leonard Rosenband THANKS TO THE VOLUNTEER BALLOON BUILDERS Benjamin Cleyet-Marrel, Maggy Taravillo, Michèle Deglesne, Franíçoise Roche, Bétina Brousso, Chrystèle Ferrier, Jean-Louis Lopez, Christian Reboulet, Jean-Franíçois Ferrier, Roland Brottes, Stéphane Brunet, Florian Genelletti, Thomas Martin, Denis Rama, Michel Guérin, Bruno Vincent, Pascal Hervé et son épouse, Jean-Jacques Roche, Valérie Bellanger, Odile Fogeron, Jean-Pierre Linocier, Eliane Linocier, Famille Laurent Perrier, Bruno et Julien Pray, Roger Martin, Yvan Manoha, Jean-Philippe Odouard FOR ARTE FRANCE DIRECTOR OF THE KNOWLEDGE AND DISCOVERY FACTUAL PROGRAMMING UNIT Helene Coldefy DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR OF THE KNOWLEDGE AND DISCOVERY FACTUAL PROGRAMMING UNIT Catherine Alv

aresse Films Media Group - Ben Franklin's Balloons Films Media Group A team of experts in France attempts to replicate the first hot air balloon flight.

Montgolfier Brothers (01:17) Learn about the 18th century French duo that invented and successfully flew the first hot air balloon. Mongtolfier "Gas" (01:28) By 1776, atmospheric gases had been identified. Observing laundry drying over a fire, Joseph Montgolfier believed smoke had properties making it lighter than air. First Unmanned Flight (02:33) Guillaume de Montgolfier recreates his ancestor's hot air balloon experiments. In 1783, they gave a public demonstration of their invention. Hydrogen Balloon (02:39) News of the Mongolfier balloon reached Benjamin Franklin and Jacques Charles. Charles tried to recreate the experiment using hydrogen produced from iron and sulfuric acid. Hydrogen Balloon Flight (02:10) Franklin recorded Charles' experiment. It traveled 15 miles and was destroyed by peasants upon landing. King Louis XVI took interest in the Montgolfier brothers' experiments. Blueprint Puzzle (03:33) Designs for the first manned hot air balloon have been lost.

Experts attempt to recreate the experiment using a simple diagram and Montgolfier's calculation notes. Construction Materials (02:47) The Montgolfier brothers used cloth and paper for their hot air balloon. Learn about the 18th century paper making process. The team selects 180 grams per square meter. Engineering Setback (03:23) The team builds a 1/10 scale model hot air balloon. They use an 18th century glue recipe to adhere paper strips to cotton, but it doesn't stick. Modern wallpaper glue is successful. Versailles Balloon (04:27) King Louis XVI forbade humans to fly due to oxygen concerns. Montgolfiers used barn animals instead; view a replica of the experimental flight. De Rozier asked to man the next attempt. Hot Air Balloon Decoration (02:02) The team consults a wallpaper manufacturer using 18th century techniques to recreate the Montgolfier design. Royal Approval (01:22) The Montgolfiers outfitted their balloon with pilot baskets and de Rozier practiced take off. King Louis XVI was finally convinced to allow a manned flight.

Change of Plans (02:42) The team begins decorating and sewing the balloon by hand. They learn that the balloon was damaged and rebuilt without the paper layer, and decide to switch to a modern material. Balloon Assembly (01:22) The team decorates panels according to original engravings. They decide to use a sewing machine to put them together. First Manned Flight (03:59) The team inflates the balloon with a fire, then switches to a gas burner. Frankin worried for the pilots' safety in 1783; they landed after five minutes to avoid catching the balloon on fire. Successful Hot Air Balloon Recreation (01:30) The team lifts off, but French aviation authorities refuse to allow them to fly. Franklin's report helped ensure the Montgolfier brother's place in history. First Manned Hydrogen Balloon Flight (05:34) Charles flew his gas balloon after the Montgolfier brothers in 1783; his ballast and release valve innovations are still used today. A balloonist recreates his historic flight.

First Flight across the English Channel (04:32) Inspired by the Montgolfiers, inventors Jean-Pierre Blanchard and John Jeffries flew a hydrogen balloon from Dover to Calais in 1785. Modern balloonists retrace their journey. Pioneering Aeronauts (00:37) 13 Facts About 18th Century French Fashion | Mental Floss 13 Facts About 18th Century French Fashion Wikimedia Commons // Public Domain Like us on Facebook In Kimberly Chrisman-Campbell’s new book, Fashion Victims: Dress at the Court of Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette, the author dives into the world of high fashion and high society at a critical crossroad. Extreme luxury and opulence gave way to revolution in the late 18th century and as we've learned in this interview with Chrisman-Campbell, it made for a fascinating time in the world of fashion. Here’s why. 1. Louis XIV understood the power of clothing.

Marie Antoinette has the lasting style legacy, but it was Louis XIV, who ruled in the 17th century and passed away in 1715, who really pushed the agenda (and let us not forget, he wore red heeled shoes ). The king had a great fondness for fashion and expensive goods, and thought that prioritizing such things made good economic sense. The French style industry grew to be big, powerful, and efficient. Louis even established a system of trade guilds, called corporations, designed to set standards, regulate the industry, and provide structure. Every profession within the business, from tailors to dressmakers, had a union which provided organization and power. At a time when the wealthy loved to exhibit their wealth, Louis fed into the culture by implementing etiquette standards which called for costume changes throughout the day. 2. Anything could become fashion inspiration. French brothers Joseph-Michel and Jacques-Etienne Montgolfier invented the first hot air balloon in 1783. A bag of hot air might not seem a likely source of fashion inspiration, but inspire it did , with the industry hoping to ride the coattails of the popular innovation. Montgolfière even became a term in hair styling . 3.

Fashion magazines came out every 10 days. If you think it’s hard to keep up with the trends now, imagine if Vogue was published nearly every week. In the late 1700s, fashion magazines managed to make the rounds despite having a narrow group of subscribers in the most elite circles. Servants would then read the latest news, pass the periodicals around, and perpetuate the already fast moving fashion cycle. It’s unclear how the media got access to the royals to report on their ever-evolving styles, and in fact, when comparing the physical records with written accounts, it seems their insider information might have involved a bit of imagination. 4. Everything was outdated immediately. Hatmakers, or milliners, served a hugely important role in 18th century fashion, both in defining the look of the time and propelling it forward. The marchandes de modes gave their stylings topical names to set them in a particular (and short) place in time. Any new accessory or trimming had a ticking clock on it from the moment it was sent out into the world. This “planned obsolescence,” as Chrisman-Campbell calls it, gave milliners incredible power over the industry and ensured a steady stream of clients.

5. Everything was custom, and everyone was a designer. Individuals would work with hatmakers, dressmakers, and sometimes even fabric salesmen to compose one-of-a-kind items—yet another way that milliners made their mark on the look of the time. Marchandes de modes became powerful in the context of the guild system because, while dressmakers could only trim a dress with the same fabric the dress was made of (rules were rules), a marchandes de modes could trim it with anything (but not sew a dress—at least not legally at the beginning). They provided variety and customization that made them highly sought after. 6. Even royals thrifted. Secondhand clothing was fairly regular among the wealthy, and most people were wearing pieces that had previously been owned twice or even three times before. Flea markets made for popular destinations, and Marie Antoinette's ladies-in-waiting were lucky enough to score her hand-me-downs, which they would wear or sell or make into dog beds. The fact that servants often wore the garments their masters had been sporting recently speaks to both the importance and the disposability of fashions at the time. The industry was moving at breakneck speeds. 7.

The pouf was more than a look—it was a statement. The iconic pouf stylings of the time—with their feathers, flowers, ribbon, lace, jewelry, fruit and other miscellanea—weren’t just about looking cool or displaying wealth; they were meant to be a reflection of personal and cultural events, or even newsworthy occurrences in science or politics like the American Revolution. Topical fashions extended to fans, men’s waistcoats, and even gowns. 8. Rose Bertin was a rockstar designer of the time. Bertin was a milliner who was introduced to Marie Antoinette by the Duchess of Chartres and, from there, became one of the “it” designers in Paris. She charged a lot for her work, dressed well, and even had servants and a carriage. As someone who started out in a lower class, Bertin’s ascension to life among the royals was a subject of controversy. She was also unique in that she dressed the queen as well as others, which was previously not allowed. Marie Antoinette wanted Bertin to be a part of the world of fashion, which is why she didn't demand exclusivity. 9. Black was the new black.

During the 18th century, being in mourning was often more about etiquette than actual grief. Widows stayed in mourning attire for a year, and it was customary for the entire court to don funeral wear if any member of the European royal family died. Black was in such regular rotation in the outfit color scheme that people got quite used to it and began to value its practicality. As mourning traditions started to fade, black became a color of everyday dress. 10. Aprons were stylish. Hundreds of years before Anthropologie was born, French nobility knew there was something desirable about the rustic aesthetic (or as Chrisman-Campbell calls it, “peasant-chic”). Luxury aprons became fashionable, in part due to the success of the 1784 play The Marriage of Figaro, which was about servants. Bertin made such aprons for Marie Antoinette, and the queen even had a model village built in the gardens at Versailles—something many high society types did at the time—so she could play dress up and pretend to be a peasant. The popularity of aprons was part of a movement toward simpler styles.

Cotton began to appear, which was a nice change of pace for the lower class, who could conveniently wash the fabric while emulating the styles of the rich. But it was bad news for the embroideries and silk weavers, who would eventually ask Louis and Marie to help with their floundering business (sadly, there’s not much to be done when you’re out of vogue). Surprisingly, a portrait of the queen done by Vigée Le Brun in 1783 ignited public anger because of the simplicity of the dress. Not everyone was accustomed to the new trend at that point. 11. Everything was lost in the revolution. From the clothes themselves to the industry that had once served as a crowning achievement of the court, the world of French fashion disappeared in the wake of the revolution. Of the royal wardrobes, we can only imagine and piece together ideas of what once was from accounts and drawings. Many industry workers died or escaped, finding their way to other European cities. 12. People wore political allegiances on their sleeve. Or, rather, their head.

The tricolor cockade was the look of a revolutionary though it eventually became mandatory to wear the hat or some sort of tricolor fashion during that time if you wanted to avoid conflict. 13. Napoleon eventually brought fashion back. When Napoleon became Emperor in 1804, he wanted to return to the fashionable days of Louis XVI because, much like his predecessor, he believed encouraging the industry would help with the economy. He brought back luxurious dress and helped to breathe some life back into a facet of business and society that had been all but wiped out during the tumultuous years of the French Revolution. Hot air ballooning over France Follow @Quality_Villas on Twitter Come Fly with Me! Not the song but a unique way of flying like a bird over incredible landscapes, meandering rivers and being one to one with our feathered friends and in a hot air balloon it’s an amazing experience. It might be to fulfil your childhood dream or an original gift idea for a special birthday but either one of these is the perfect way to remember an unforgettable experience. The hot air balloon is the oldest and successful human-carrying flight technology and is termed under balloon aircraft.

The Montgolfier brothers invented this amazing aircraft in 1783 and on November 21st the first manned flight was performed in Paris by Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier and François Laurent d'Arlandes. Since then hot air ballooning started to become popular and even in today’s age of more sophisticated air travel the hot air balloon still holds mystery and excitement. A hot air balloon consists of a bag called the envelope that is capable of containing heated air. Suspended beneath is a wicker basket which carries the passengers and the source of heat is an open flame. The hot air inside the envelope makes it buoyant against the cold air outside. As with all aircraft they cannot fly beyond the atmosphere. Since the mid 70’s balloon envelopes have been made in all kinds of shapes, such as rocket ships and shapes of various commercial products but the traditional shape still remains the most popular. Most balloon rides take place within 2 hours of dawn to approximately 2 hours before dusk as this is when the air is at the most stable. Also the rising sun and sun setting is probably the most wonderful time to capture the sights. That’s not to say that flying during the day is not as wonderful, it is.

A nice spring or autumn day is where the colours are at their best and the air is the clearest. The actual time in the air is approximately one hour and passengers are normally invited to participate in the pre and post flight preparation and dismantling of the balloon and this is all part of the experience. The baskets are divided into compartments and generally no more than 6 people in each compartment. There are of course, private flights for couples who can also celebrate with champagne, often to celebrate their wedding or anniversary. Clothing should be sensible and suitable if you were going for a country walk and of natural fibres if possible. Trousers for ladies are best with sensible walking shoes or boots. The reason being is the balloon will take off from a field and the grass may be damp or cowpats and stilettos or sandals would not do. A hat or cap is sensible to protect you from the heat of the burners. Space is also restricted in some baskets so it’s advisable not to have large rucksacks or bags. Most hot air balloon sites will only allow children over 8 years old and over 1.4m tall and must be accompanied by an adult.

Generally there is no upper age limit but you must be agile enough to climb in and out of the basket and be able to stand for at least an hour. In South West France there are quite a few hot air balloon sites ranging from the Dordogne where you will fly across the Dordogne River taking in sights of the majestic chateaux that line this meandering river or in Gascony where the countryside is lush with forests and some wonderful manoirs and chateaux For more information about booking a balloon ride in France, try France Montgolfieres . History of Hot Air Ballooning The Environment The History of Hot Air Ballooning Above the duck, the balloon, constructed of paper and fabric, provided the lift necessary to carry aloft the duck and its companions, (a sheep and a rooster). Never before had a human, let alone a duck, flown in a balloon. A new vehicle was born to the world in 1783. The new machine was one which raised men off the surface of the earth and carried them sailing upon “that uninterrupted navigable ocean that comes to the threshold of every man’s door”.

The selection of balloon prints to the right has not been put together for its historical or aeronautical significance – although such appeals are not lacking – but quite simply from the point of view of their pictorial quality. Balloons with their differing shapes and colours are for many people charming and entertaining objects. When seen by the artists and engravers of the eighteenth century and the Regency, they take on an added period flavour and such balloon pictures have now won their own small renown among collectors. Of the two types of balloon invested in 1783, the Montgolfieres (hot air) were often more elaborately decorated than the Charlieres (hydrogen). Balloon prints, like all other categories of engravings and lithography, are subject to collectors’ whims and include the common, the not so common and the rare, but again as with so many other kinds – the rarity bears no relation to decorative quality and no special attention has been paid here to financial or rarity considerations. A balloon is in essence a simple affair and consists of an envelope containing a gas weighing less than the surrounding air, which therefore causes the envelope to rise in the atmosphere like a cork.

The concept of aerostation (lighter-than-air flight) only appeared in western civilisation late in the Middle Ages. It is strange to consider how many billions of men and women had to watch the burning debris of a fire mount up with the smoke and flames before two French paper-makers of Annonay, near Lyons, drew the correct conclusions and thought of the hot-air balloon. A full sized man-carrying balloon could have been made successfully at any time since the invention of light textile fabrics, which date back many years before Christ, but the appropriate collision of ideas and circumstance had to wait until the end of the 18th century. It is now believed that a Jesuit Priest – the Portuguese Father Gusmao – thought out the idea correctly and made a miniature hot-air balloon as early as 1709, but the significance of the event was lost on his contemporaries and he never went on with his work.

The brothers Joseph and Etienne Montgolfiere first though of their hot-air balloon in 1782, sent up a small version at Annonay in June of 1783, a full-sized man-carrying example in the following September and saw their balloon make the first free aerial voyage of all time at Paris on November 21st, manned by Pilatre de Rozier and the Marquis d’Arlandes. On December 1st of that same year 1873 Professor Charles and one of the Robert brothers made the first free voyage in a hydrogen balloon, a type of aerostat which Charles had brilliantly invented in almost a modern form a few weeks before. The hot-air balloon – know as a Montgolfiere – was suspended limp between two masts and inflated by having her neck held over a fire beneath the take-off platform, another fire was lit in a brazier and then slung in the neck of the balloon to provide a continuous supply of hot air on the voyage. Altitude was controlled by stoking or damping down the brazier fire.

The hydrogen balloon – Charliere – was also hung for inflation between masts in the early days and its long thin neck attached to the primitive apparatus in which sulphuric acid was passed over iron filings to make the gas. Altitude was controlled by dropping ballast or valving the gas through the crown of the envelope, although the neck was also left open so that the gas – expanding as the balloon rose – could blow off harmlessly without bursting the envelope. Coal gas came into use later and – in our own day – helium, which has the great advantage of being non-inflammable. MONGOLFIER BROTHERS HOT AIR BALOON The brothers, Joseph Michel Montgolfier (26 August 1740 ï¿½ 26 June 1810) and Jacques-ï¿½tienne Montgolfier (6 January 1745 ï¿½ 2 August 1799) were the inventors of the montgolfiï¿½re, globe airostatique or hot air balloon. The brothers succeeded in launching the first manned ascent to carry a young physician and an audicious army officer into the sky.

In 1782, while watching a fire in his fireplace, Joseph became interested in the "force" that caused the sparks and smoke to rise. He made a small bag out of silk and lit a fire under the opening at the bottom causing it to rise. The brothers thought the burning created a gas which they called "Montgolfier gas". They didn't realize that their balloons rose because the heated air inside was lighter than the surrounding air. Early years The brothers were born into a family of successful paper manufacturers in Annonay, in the Ardï¿½che, France. Pierre Montgolfier (1700-1793), the father of sixteen children established his eldest son Raymond (1730-1772) as his successor. As a result, the younger sons were initially sent away to school to learn other professions. Joseph (12th child) possessed a typical inventor's temperament - a maverick and dreamer but impractical in terms of business and personal affairs. ï¿½tienne had a much more even and businesslike temperament than Joseph.

As the 15th child he was sent to Paris to train as an architect and met there with Jean-Baptiste Rï¿½veillon. However, after the sudden and unexpected death of Raymond in 1772, he was recalled to Annonay to run the family business. In the subsequent 10 years, ï¿½tienne applied his talent for technical innovation to the family business (papermaking was a high tech industry in the 18th century.) He succeeded in incorporating the latest Dutch innovations of the day into the family mills. His work led to recognition by the government of France as well as the awarding of a government grant to establish the Montgolfier factory as a model for other French papermakers, but also to the family wealth. Initial experiments Of the two brothers, it was Joseph who first contemplated building "machines". Gillispie puts it as early as 1777 when Joseph observed laundry drying over a fire incidentally form pockets that billowed upwards. Joseph made his first definitive experiments in November of 1782 while living in Avignon.

He reported, some years later, that he was watching a fire one evening while contemplating one of the great military issues of the day - an assault on the fortress of Gibraltar , which had proved impregnable by both sea and land. Joseph mused on the possibility of an air assault using troops lifted by the same force that was lifting the embers from the fire. He believed that contained within the smoke was a special gas, called 'Montgolfier Gas', with a special property he called 'levity'. As a result of these musings, Joseph set about building a box-like chamber 1x1x1,3m (3 ft by 3 ft by 4 ft) out of very thin wood and covering the sides and top with lightweight taffeta cloth. Under the bottom of the box he crumpled and lit some paper. The contraption quickly lifted off its stand and collided with the ceiling.

Joseph then recruited his brother to balloon building by writing the prophetic words: "Get in a supply of taffeta and of cordage, quickly, and you will see one of the most astonishing sights in the world." Montgolfier brothers balloon Paris 1983 At that time the Montgolfiers did not fully understand the physical basics of the lift produced by the air. They thought it was the dense smoke that was responsible for the upward lift, so they produced it from damp straw and chopped wool. Very pleased with the results they then constructed a silk globe which they took to the gardens of Brogieux . After paper was set to fire under the mouth of the globe, it rose approximately 20 metres into the air and descended slowly back. The results of this experiment were handed over to the Science Academy of France, that invited the two brothers to demonstrate their hot air balloon. The launch date was set to June 4th. The whole town had gathered to see the demonstration, but almost everyone was convinced the experiment was bound to fail. How could a balloon with a diameter of 10 meters go up by burning a little bit of straw?

Most of the people present considered the whole project merely as a publicity stunt of the paper manufacturers. However, after stirring up the fire the balloon rose to the respectable height of 300 meters. After a flight of 1 kilometre it slowly descended to earth. People were stunned, not understanding the miracle. Since that day onwards June 4th 1783 has official become the birth date of the hot air balloon. The news of the balloon ascent spread like wild-fire and also reached Paris. The two brothers then set about building a contraption 3 times larger in scale (27 times larger in volume). The lifting force was so great that they lost control of their craft on its very first test flight on 14 December 1782. The device floated nearly 2 kilometres (about 1.2 mi). It was destroyed after landing by what Etienne later called the "indiscretion" of passers by. Public demonstrations Given these initial successes, the brothers decided to make a public demonstration of a balloon in order to establish their claim to its invention. They constructed a globe-shaped balloon of sackcloth with three thin layers of paper inside.

The envelope could contain nearly 790 m3 (28,000 cubic feet) of air and weighed 225 kg (500 lb). It was constructed of four pieces (the dome and three lateral bands), and held together by some 1,800 buttons. A reinforcing "fish net" of cord covered the outside of the envelope. Montgolfier brothers balloon postage stamp On 4 June 1783, they flew this craft as their first public demonstration at Annonay in front of a group of dignitaries from the Etats particulars. Its flight covered 2 km (1.2 mi), lasted 10 minutes, and had an estimated altitude of 1.600 - 2.000m (5,200 - 6,600 ft). Word of their success quickly reached Paris. Etienne went to the capital to make further demonstrations and to solidify the brothers' claim to the invention of flight. Joseph, given his unkempt appearance and shyness, remained with the family. Etienne was the epithome of sober virtues ... modest in clothes and manner... He was dressed stylishly in black.

In collaboration with the successful wallpaper manufacturer, Jean-Baptiste Rï¿½veillon, Etienne constructed a 37,500 cubic foot envelope of taffeta coated with a varnish of alum. The balloon was sky blue and with golden flourishes, signs of the zodiac, suns. The design was the influence of Rï¿½veillon, the wallpaper maker. On the 27th of August a hydrogen balloon was launched from the Champs de Mars in Paris by Jacques Charles. Six thousand people paid for a seat. A downpower of rain ended the show. The next test was on the 11th of September from the parc la Folie Titon, close to the house of Rï¿½veillon. There was some concern about the effects of flight into the upper atmosphere on living creatures. The king proposed to launch two criminals, but it is most likely that the inventors decided to send animals aloft first.

On 19 September 1783 the Aerostat Rï¿½veillon (as Etienne referred to it) was flown with the first living beings in a basket attached to the balloon: a sheep, called Montauciel (Climb-to-the-sky), a duck and a rooster. This demonstration was performed before a huge crowd at the royal palace in Versailles, before King Louis XVI of France , Queen Marie Antoinette. The flight lasted approximately 8 minutes, covered 2 miles, and obtained an altitude of about 1500 feet. The flight would have been longer but the craft was unstable. It tipped wildly just after launch which allowed a considerable amount of hot air to spill from the mouth. The animals survived the trip unharmed. ...the sheep was discovered nibbling imperturbably on straw while the cock and the duck cowered in a corner. Human flight With the successful demonstration at Versailles, and again in collaboration with Rï¿½veillon, Etienne started construction of a 60,000 cubic foot balloon for the purpose of making flights with humans.

(Etienne's excursion, albeit tethered was the cause of much paternal consternation as he had promised his father that he would not ride in a balloon himself.) The craft was once again decorated with flourishes and was 75 feet tall and 46 feet in diameter. The balloon was tested in tethered flights later in 1783 on 15 October by Pilï¿½tre de Rozier, a twenty-six-year-old physician, who offered his services. On the 17th the experiment was repeated before a group of scientists and 19 October Rozier and Andrï¿½ Giroud de Villette, a wallpaper manufacturer from Madrid, reached 324 foot within 15 seconds along retaining ropes. On 21 November 1783, the first free flight by humans was made Pilï¿½tre, together with an army officer, the marquis d'Arlandes. They flew aloft for 25 minutes about 100 metres above Paris for a distance of nine kilometres.

The flight began near the Bois de Boulogne in the courtyard of the Chï¿½teau de la Muette in the western outskirts of Paris and landed between the windmills on the Butte-aux-Cailles. Enough fuel remained on board at the end of the flight to have allowed the balloon to fly four to five times as far. However, burning embers from the fire were scorching the balloon fabric and had to be daubed out with sponges. Thus the baloonists decided to land as soon as they were over open countryside. The ascensions made a sensation. Numerous engravings commemorated the events. Chairs were designed with balloon backs, and mantel clocks were produced in enamel and gilt-bronze replicas set with a dial in the balloon. One could buy crockery decorated with naive pictures of balloons. Following launches In 1766, the British scientist Henry Cavendish had discovered hydrogen, by adding sulphuric acid to iron, tin, or zinc shavings. The development of gas balloons proceeded almost in parallel with the work of the Montgolfiers. This work was led by M. Charles.

Work on each type of balloon was spurred on by the knowledge that there was a competing group and alternative technology. For a variety of reasons, including the fact that the French government chose to put a proponent of hydrogen in charge of balloon development, hot air balloons were superseded by hydrogen balloons. Hydrogen balloons became the predominant technology for the next 180 years. Balloons were used for all major ballooning accomplishments such as the crossing of the English Channel on 7 January 1785, by one of the most tireless astronauts Jean-Pierre Blanchard and Dr. John Jeffries, from Boston. Montgolfier brothers balloon flight Paris street scene Competing claims Some claim that the hot air balloon was actually invented some 74 years earlier by the portuguese priest Bartolomeu de Gusmï¿½o. A description of his invention was published in 1709, in Vienna, and another one that was lost was found in the Vatican (circa 1917). However, this claim is not generally recognized by aviation historians outside the Portuguese speaking community, in particular the FAI.

Revival of the hot air balloon Although balloons employing heated air for lift were used from time to time, the modern revival of the hot air balloon began on 22 October 1960 in Bruning, Nebraska on when Ed Yost improved the safety of the classic Montgolfier design by using a plastic envelope and a kerosene fueled heater. Today, hot air balloons that use propane fuel and rip-stop nylon envelopes are by far the predominant method for obtaining buoyant flight. NOVA | Ben Franklin’s Balloons Posted by WMHT Web Editor on Preview Experts recreate the French’s daring first manned flights, which Franklin had chronicled. Watch Wednesday, October 22, 2014 at 9pm on WMHT TV. The first stage in the adventure of human flight began with daring inventors and aeronauts in 18th-century Paris, where a handful of brilliant and colorful pioneers developed all the essential features of today’s hot air and gas balloons. Their exploits fascinated Benjamin Franklin, who was serving in Paris as the American ambassador. To explore this burst of innovation, NOVA re-creates key flights, including the world’s first manned voyage on November 21, 1783.

A descendant of the Montgolfier brothers, who invented the hot-air balloon, will join a team to build an accurate replica of the fragile paper and canvas craft using 18th-century tools and materials. NOVA evokes the thrilling and daunting prospect that the balloon pioneers faced as they left Earth for the first time. Joseph and Jacques Michel Étienne Montgolfier - Dictionary definition of Joseph and Jacques Michel Étienne Montgolfier | Encyclopedia.com: FREE online dictionary Joseph and Jacques Michel Étienne Montgolfier Encyclopedia of World Biography COPYRIGHT 2004 The Gale Group Inc. Joseph and Jacques Michel Étienne Montgolfier The French inventors and industrialists Joseph Michel (1740-1810) and Jacques Étienne (1745-1799) Montgolfier were brothers who invented the hot-air balloon, an important step in the development of aeronautics. Both Montgolfier brothers were born at Annonay, Joseph in 1740, Étienne on Jan. 7, 1745. Their father owned a large paper mill and gave them a good education.

Joseph was placed in a private school, but he left to start a chemical business by himself. Paris, with its famous scientists, attracted him, but after a short stay he was called back to Annonay to help his father run the paper mill. He promptly tried to introduce new techniques into the business, which resulted in his father's giving him funds to establish a business of his own. However, Joseph's inexperience soon led to considerable financial losses. Étienne's youth was a more conservative one. He received training as an architect, which included some scientific education. When he was 30, his father retired and placed him at the head of the business. Étienne soon earned a name in the paper industry through his careful and profitable improvements in papermaking. Whatever brought the attention of the brothers to using hot air for a balloon, and whether they even, at first, understood why smoke rose, is not clearly known. But it is known that they rapidly passed from a toy-sized balloon to a large one, and they soon learned that the best fuel was straw mixed with carded wool.

The first public experiment, on June 5, 1783, demonstrated to an assembly of the local nobility of Annonay how a balloon some 35 feet in diameter could rise in 10 minutes to a height of well over a mile. News of the experiment spread rapidly. The central scientific institution in France, the Academy of Sciences, invited the Montgolfier brothers to Paris to repeat their experiment. Bad weather destroyed the first balloon, but a second attempt was made, at Versailles on Sept. 19, 1783, in the presence of the King and his court. The balloon, as was proper for the royal occasion, was elegantly decorated. This time it carried a sheep, a rooster, and a duck. It rose to over 1,000 feet and then floated down. The successful exhibition before royalty made the Montgolfier brothers national figures. A gold medal was struck in their honor. Étienne received the ribbon of St. Michael; Joseph obtained a pension of 1,000 livres; and their father obtained a patent of nobility.

Balloons caught the attention of the public, and the term montgolfière was even applied to hair fashions and dresses. In January 1784 at Lyons, to test whether balloons could carry passengers, Joseph made a mammoth 130-foot-diameter balloon, probably the largest hot-air balloon ever made. After freezing rain and a fire made Joseph's first effort unsuccessful, a second attempt was made on January 19. After a 15-minute flight with Joseph and two other passengers, the balloon made a rather rapid descent but landed without injury. The successful aeronauts were carried in triumph into Lyons. But the Montgolfier brothers soon saw themselves superseded by the exploits of others: long-distance flights, even Channel flights, were soon being attempted. Their real hope, that of creating aerial navigation, was dashed when they found they could not devise any means of controlling the flight of the balloons. Étienne returned to his paper mill; he died at Neuchâtel, Switzerland, on Aug. 2, 1799. Joseph also returned to the paper industry.

His inventive mind turned to other devices; he invented the hydraulic ram and devised an apparatus to distill liquids at reduced temperature and pressure and an apparatus to dry fruit under such conditions. Among many additional honors bestowed on him were membership in the Legion of Honor and appointment to the Institute of France. He died at Balaruc-les-Bains on June 26, 1810. Further Reading A short account of the achievements of the Montgolfier brothers is in Shelby Thomas McCloy, French Inventions of the 18th Century (1952), and in Charles Singer and others, eds., A History of Technology (5 vols., 1954-1958). Additional Sources Gillispie, Charles Coulston, The Montgolfier brothers and the invention of aviation, 1783-1784: with a word on the importance of ballooning for the science of heat and the art of building railroads, Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1983. □ Cite this article Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

MLA NOVA - Official Website | A Short History of Ballooning NOVA A Short History of Ballooning By Liesl Clark Posted 12.02.97 NOVA The caged duck looked down as terra firma slowly drifted away. Above the duck, a balloon, constructed of paper and fabric, provided the lift necessary to carry aloft the duck and its companions, a sheep and a rooster. Never before had a human, let alone a duck, flown in a balloon. A French collecting card depicting the first-ever manned balloon flight by De Rozier and the Marquis d'Arlandes Enlarge Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons/Public domain The year was 1783, a milestone year for aviation—the dream of flying had finally been realized. On October 15 of that year, a few months after the duck's historic flight, a balloon called Aerostat Reveillon , launched in France and carrying scientist Jean-Franíçois Pilí¢tre De Rozier, rose to the end of its 250-foot tether. It stayed aloft for 15 minutes and then landed safely nearby.

A month later, De Rozier and a companion, the Marquis d'Arlandes, flew untethered to 500 feet and traveled about five and a half miles in a 20-minute flight—the first "free flight" made by man. Designed by the Montgolfier brothers, Joseph-Michel and Jacques-ítienne, the balloon was heated by a straw fire that later caused the balloon to catch on fire. But the Montgolfier brothers, undaunted, went on to design other balloons, including the first successful balloon that was unmanned (and unducked, for that matter). Although these early, comparatively crude balloons were a far cry from today's high-tech contraptions, the science of ballooning and sending humans aloft had begun. In the years to follow, humans had access to the skies like never before, and with the advent of hydrogen ballooning, even the sky seemed to offer no limit.

What follows is a brief outline of some of the major milestones in ballooning: Collecting card showing the first English Channel crossing by balloon, Blanchard and Jeffries aboard Enlarge Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons/Public domain 1785—First Across the English Channel: In the early days of ballooning, crossing the English Channel is considered the first step to long-distance ballooning. Two years after his historic first balloon ride, De Rozier attempts the crossing. De Rozier's experimental system consists of a hydrogen balloon and a hot air balloon tied together. Tragically, the craft explodes half an hour after takeoff, and de Rozier and his copilot are killed. This double balloon helium/hot air system, however, remains among the most successful designs for long-distance ballooning. This same year, French balloonist Jean-Pierre Blanchard and American John Jeffries become the first to fly across the English Channel. 1793—First Flight in North America: On January 9, Jean-Pierre Blanchard makes a 45-minute flight from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Gloucester County, New Jersey. George Washington is present to see the balloon launch.

1794 to 1945—First Use in Wars: From the U.S. Civil War through World Wars I and II, balloons come into play as tools for warfare, surveillance, transportation, and communication. Auguste Piccard by his aluminum gondola, September 1930 Enlarge Photo credit: German Federal Archive/Wikimedia Commons 1932—First Manned Flight to Stratosphere, and First Use of Pressurized Capsule: On August 18, Auguste Piccard, a Swiss scientist, and a companion, Max Cosyns, soar into the stratosphere in a balloon designed by Piccard that includes a pressurized aluminum gondola. The pair set a new altitude record of over 52,000 feet. Over the next few years, in the push to reach ever higher into the stratosphere, balloonists continue to break altitude records almost monthly.

1935—New Altitude Record Set, Remains For 20 Years: Explorer II , a helium gas balloon, sets the altitude record at 72,395 feet, or 13.7 miles, with two crew members on board, Captain Albert Stevens and Orvil Anderson. This flight serves as a milestone for aviation and paves the way for future space travel and the concept of manned flight in space. The highly publicized flight is also able to carry live radio broadcasts from the balloon. Joe Kittinger leaping from an Air Force balloon at 102,800 feet Enlarge Photo credit: Volkmar Wentzel/U.S. Air Force/Public domain 1960—Altitude Record and Highest Parachute Jump: On August 16, Air Force Captain Joe Kittinger jumps from a balloon at a breathtaking altitude of 102,800 feet (19.4 miles). Kittinger sets a world high-altitude parachute jump and freefall record that still stands today. 1961—Current Official Altitude Record Set: Commander Malcolm Ross and Lieutenant Commander Victor Prather of the U.S.

Navy ascend to 113,739.9 feet in Lee Lewis Memorial, a polyethylene balloon. They land in the Gulf of Mexico where, with his pressure suit filling with water and unable to stay afloat, Prather drowns. 1978—First Atlantic Crossing: Double Eagle II, a helium balloon carrying Ben Abruzzo, Maxie Anderson, and Larry Newman, becomes the first balloon to cross the Atlantic Ocean. A new duration record is set, with a flight time of 137 hours. Double Eagle V launching from Nagashima, Japan in 1981 on its historic flight Enlarge Photo credit: © Caj Bremer/Sygma/Corbis 1981—First Pacific Crossing: Thirteen-story-high Double Eagle V, piloted by Ben Abruzzo, Larry Newman, Ron Clark, and Rocky Aoki of Japan, launches from Nagashimi, Japan on November 10 and lands 84 hours, 31 minutes later in Mendocino National Forest in California. A new distance record is set at 5,768 miles.

1984—First Solo Transatlantic Flight: Joe Kittinger flies 3,535 miles from Caribou, Maine to Savona, Italy in his helium-filled balloon Rosie O'Grady's Balloon of Peace. 1987—First Atlantic Crossing By Hot Air Balloon: Per Lindstrand and Richard Branson fly a distance of 2,900 miles in 33 hours and set a new record for hot air ballooning. At the time, the balloon, with 2.3 million cubic feet of capacity, is the largest ever flown. 1988—Hot Air High Altitude Record: Per Lindstrand sets a solo world record of 65,000 feet for the greatest height ever reached by a hot air balloon. 1991—First Pacific Crossing By Hot Air Balloon: Per Lindstrand and Richard Branson become the first to traverse the Pacific by hot air balloon, flying from Japan to Arctic Canada in 46 hours. Reaching speeds in the jet stream of up to 245 mph in their Otsuka Flyer, they travel 6,700 miles, breaking the world distance record.

1992—Duration Record Set: Richard Abruzzo, son of previous record-breaker Ben Abruzzo, and Troy Bradley fly 144 hours, 16 minutes from Bangor, Maine to Morocco in a De Rozier balloon. A later Steve Fossett balloon, photographed in January 1997 Enlarge Photo credit: © Mike Stewart/Sygma/Corbis 1995—First Solo Transpacific Flight: On February 14, Steve Fossett launches from Seoul, Korea and flies four long days to Mendham, Saskatchewan, Canada. This feature originally appeared on the site for the NOVA program Danger in the Jet Stream . Related Links

Question: What was the surname of the French brothers who invented the hot - air balloon in the 18'th century ?
Answer: MONTGOLFIER