A Hot-Air Balloon Carries People into the Sky

In late 1782, paper manufacturer Joseph-Michel Montgolfier conducted small-scale experiments in Avignon that led him to believe smoke held an inherent lifting power. Observing burning materials elevate light objects, he envisioned airborne craft supported by what he theorized to be a novel gas with a buoyant nature. He quickly constructed a compact wooden frame covered with lightweight taffeta, lit paper beneath it, and watched the contraption rise to the ceiling. Encouraged by this initial success, he summoned his younger brother, Jacques-Étienne, to assemble fabric and cordage in order to pursue larger aeronautical tests.

Working together, the two brothers built an enlarged device that was tested in December 1782 using burning wool and hay. Although this early unmanned craft broke away and drifted several kilometers before being ruined on the ground, it proved the viability of their concept. The Montgolfiers then prepared a public presentation to substantiate their claim to the invention. In June 1783, at Annonay, they launched a spherical envelope crafted from sackcloth and lined with paper layers, which stayed aloft for ten minutes before a gathering of local dignitaries.