A hot air balloon is prepared for flight by inflation of the envelope with propane burners.

A hot air balloon takes off.

The balloon has just landed and is being pulled nearer to a road for deflation.

A balloon is a type of aircraft that remains aloft due to its buoyancy. A balloon travels by moving with the wind. It is distinct from an airship, which is a buoyant aircraft that can be propelled through the air in a controlled manner. It is also distinct from aerostat, which is a balloon that is moored to the ground rather than free-flying. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1024x768, 198 KB) Template:Wallpaper A hot air balloon being inflated in Cappadocia, Turkey. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1024x768, 198 KB) Template:Wallpaper A hot air balloon being inflated in Cappadocia, Turkey. ... ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (1397x1773, 128 KB) A hot air balloon takes off from Royal Victoria Park, Bath, England. ... ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (1397x1773, 128 KB) A hot air balloon takes off from Royal Victoria Park, Bath, England. ... A hot air balloon is pulled across the grass, to an area nearer a road, for deflation. ... A hot air balloon is pulled across the grass, to an area nearer a road, for deflation. ... For other uses, see Wind (disambiguation). ... USS Akron (ZRS-4) in flight, November 2, 1931 An airship or dirigible is a buoyant lighter-than-air aircraft that can be steered and propelled through the air. ... Uncrewed aerostats can carry instruments and sensors for long durations that are impractical for humans and other aircraft. ...

Types of balloon aircraft

There are three main types of balloon aircraft:

• Hot air balloons obtain their buoyancy by heating the air inside the balloon. They are the most common type of balloon aircraft.
• Gas balloons are inflated with a gas of lower molecular weight than the ambient atmosphere. Most gas balloons operate with the internal pressure of the gas being the same as the pressure of the surrounding atmosphere. There is a special type of gas balloon, called a superpressure balloon, that can operate with the lifting gas at pressure that exceeds the pressure of the surrounding air, with the objective of limiting or eliminating the loss of gas from day-time heating. Gas balloons are filled with gases such as:
  • hydrogen - not widely used for aircraft since the Hindenburg disaster because of high flammability (except for some sport balloons as well as nearly all unmanned scientific and weather balloons).
  • helium - the gas used today for all airships and most manned balloons.
  • ammonia - used infrequently due to its caustic qualities and limited lift.
  • coal gas - used in the early days of ballooning; it is highly flammable.
• Rozière balloons use both heated and unheated lifting gases. The most common modern use of this type of balloon is for long-distance record flights such as the recent circumnavigations.

This article is about hot air balloons themselves. ... The first launch of a gas balloon by Jacques Charles, 27 August 1783, at the Champ de Mars, Paris. ... The molecular mass (abbreviated Mr) of a substance, formerly also called molecular weight and abbreviated as MW, is the mass of one molecule of that substance, relative to the unified atomic mass unit u (equal to 1/12 the mass of one atom of carbon-12). ... Air redirects here. ... This article is about pressure in the physical sciences. ... Diurnal (daily) rhythm of air pressure in northern Germany (black curve is air pressure) Atmospheric pressure is the pressure at any point in the Earths atmosphere. ... A superpressure balloon is style of balloon where the pressure of lifting gas changes as the balloon temperature changes due to the heating and cooling of the diurnal cycle. ... This article is about the chemistry of hydrogen. ... LZ 129 Hindenburg was a German zeppelin that was destroyed by fire while landing at Lakehurst Naval Air Station in New Jersey on May 6, 1937. ... For other uses, see Helium (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Ammonia (disambiguation). ... Syngas (from synthesis gas) is the name given to gasses of varying composition that are generated in coal gasification and some types of waste-to-energy facilities. ... Technical drawing for Virgin Global Challenger balloon. ... “Round the world” redirects here. ...

History

A modern Kongming Lantern

The hot air balloon Kongming lantern was developed for military communication service around the 2nd or 3rd century AD in China. Later, this kind of hot air balloon was very popular among children and at carnivals. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 450 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (900 × 1200 pixel, file size: 658 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Copied from zh Wikipedia. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 450 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (900 × 1200 pixel, file size: 658 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Copied from zh Wikipedia. ... The Kongming lantern (Chinese:zh:孔明灯) was the first hot air balloon, said to be invented by Zhuge Liang in popular lore, whose reverent term of address (his Chinese style name) was Kongming. ...

It has been proposed that some ancient civilizations developed manned hot air balloon flight. For example, it has been proposed that the Nazca lines (which are best seen from the air) presuppose some form of manned flight, and that a balloon was the only possible available technology that could have achieved this. The Nazca Lines are a series of geoglyphs located in the Nazca Desert, a high arid plateau that stretches 53 miles or more than 80 kilometers between the towns of Nazca and Palpa on the Pampas de Jumana in Peru. ...

In 1709 in Lisbon, Bartolomeu de Gusmão made a balloon filled with heated air rise inside a room. He also made a balloon named Passarola (Portuguese: Big bird) and attempted to lift himself from Saint George Castle in Lisbon, but only managed to harmlessly fall about one kilometre away. This was the first man ever to fly in human history. For other uses, see Lisbon (disambiguation). ... Bartolomeu de Gusmão, born Bartolomeu Lourenço (1685, Santos, São Paulo, Brazil - November 18, 1724, Toledo, Spain), was a Portuguese priest and naturalist, recalled for his early work on lighter-than-air airship design. ... “km” redirects here. ...

Following Henry Cavendish's 1766 work on hydrogen, Joseph Black proposed that a balloon filled with hydrogen would be able to rise in the air. For other persons named Henry Cavendish, see Henry Cavendish (disambiguation). ... This article is about the chemistry of hydrogen. ... Joseph Black Joseph Black (April 16, 1728 - December 6, 1799) was a Scottish physicist and chemist. ...

A model of the Montgolfier brothers balloon at the London Science Museum

The first recorded manned balloon flight was made in a hot air balloon built by the Montgolfier brothers on November 21, 1783. The flight started in Paris and reached a height of 500 feet or so. The pilots, Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier and Francois Laurent (the Marquis of d'Arlanders), covered about 5 1/2 miles in 25 minutes. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (960x1280, 178 KB) Summary Model of the montgolfier brothers balloon at the UK Science Museam Kensington Licensing I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (960x1280, 178 KB) Summary Model of the montgolfier brothers balloon at the UK Science Museam Kensington Licensing I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Jacques Étienne Montgolfier For the indie pop band, see The Montgolfier Brothers. ... Science Museum The Science Museum on Exhibition Road, Kensington, London, is part of the National Museum of Science and Industry. ... Jacques Étienne Montgolfier For the indie pop band, see The Montgolfier Brothers. ... is the 325th day of the year (326th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1783 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... This article is about the capital of France. ... A foot (plural: feet or foot;[1] symbol or abbreviation: ft or, sometimes, ′ – a prime) is a unit of length, in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier (baptised 30 March 1754 in Metz, died 15 June 1785 in Wimereux/Pas-de-Calais) was a French chemistry and physics teacher, and one of the first pioneers of aviation. ... “Miles” redirects here. ...

Only a few days later, on December 1, 1783, Professor Jacques Charles and Nicholas Louis Robert made the first gas balloon flight. Like the first hot air balloon flight, this flight left from Paris. The hydrogen filled balloon flew to almost 2,000 feet (600 m), stayed aloft for over 2 hours and covered a distance of 27 miles (43 km), landing in the small town of Nesle. is the 335th day of the year (336th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1783 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... Jacques Alexandre César Charles, 1820 First flight by Prof. ... Nesle is a commune of the Somme département, in northern France. ...

Once flight was shown to be possible, the next great challenge was to fly across the English Channel. The feat was accomplished on January 7, 1785 by Jean-Pierre Blanchard, a Frenchman, and American John Jeffries, who sponsored the flight. For the Thoroughbred racehorse of the same name, see English Channel (horse). ... is the 7th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1785 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... Jean-Pierre Blanchard (aka Jean Pierre François Blanchard), (7 July 1753 – 7 March 1809) was a French inventor, most remembered a pioneer in aviation and ballooning. ... This article is about the country. ...

The first aircraft disaster occurred in May 1785 when the town of Tullamore, County Offaly, Ireland was seriously damaged when the crash of a balloon resulted in a fire that burned down about 100 houses, giving the town the unusual distinction of being home to the world's first aviation disaster. To this day, the town shield depicts a phoenix rising from the ashes. WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates: 53. ... Statistics Province: Leinster County Town: Tullamore Code: OY Area: 1,999 km² Population (2006) 70,604 Website: www. ... Capt. ... For other mythic firebirds, see Fire bird (mythology). ...

Blanchard went on to make the first manned flight of a balloon in America on January 9, 1793. His hydrogen filled balloon took off from a prison yard in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The flight reached 5,800 feet (1,770 m) and landed in Gloucester County, New Jersey. President George Washington was among the guests observing the takeoff. is the 9th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1793 (MDCCXCIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Saturday of the 11-day slower Julian calendar). ... Nickname: City of Brotherly Love, Philly, the Quaker City Motto: Philadelphia maneto (Let brotherly love continue) Location in Pennsylvania Coordinates: Country United States State Pennsylvania County Philadelphia Founded October 27, 1682 Incorporated October 25, 1701 Mayor John F. Street (D) Area    - City 369. ... Gloucester County is a county located in the state of New Jersey. ... George Washington (February 22, 1732 – December 14, 1799)[1] led Americas Continental Army to victory over Britain in the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783), and in 1789 was elected the first President of the United States of America. ...

Gas balloons became the most common type from the 1790s until the 1960s.

The first steerable balloon (also known as a dirigible) was attempted by Henri Giffard in 1852. Powered by a steam engine, it was too slow to be effective. Like heavier than air flight, the internal combustion engine made dirigibles – especially blimps – practical, starting in the late 19th century. Alberto Santos Dumont made the first application of an internal combustion motor in aviation's history. He produced and flew in a dirigible using a gas engine. USS Akron (ZRS-4) in flight, November 2, 1931 An airship or dirigible is a buoyant lighter-than-air aircraft that can be steered and propelled through the air. ... Henri Giffard (1825-1882) was a French engineer who invented the injector and the powered airship with a steam engine weighing over 400 lbs. ... // The term steam engine may also refer to an entire railroad steam locomotive. ... The internal combustion engine is an engine in which the combustion of fuel and an oxidizer (typically air) occurs in a confined space called a combustion chamber. ... Santos-Dumont in his trademark Panama hat. ...

Ed Yost reinvented the design of hot air balloons in the late 1950s using rip-stop nylon fabrics and high-powered propane burners to create the modern hot air balloon. His first flight of such a balloon, lasting 25 minutes and covering 3 miles (5 km), occurred on October 22, 1960 in Bruning, Nebraska. Paul Edward Yost (June 30, 1919 – May 27, 2007) was the American inventor of the modern hot air balloon and was sometimes referred to as the Father of the Modern Day Hot-Air Balloon. ... For other uses of this word, see nylon (disambiguation). ... Propane is a three-carbon alkane, normally a gas, but compressible to a liquid that is transportable. ... is the 295th day of the year (296th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1960 (MCMLX) was a leap year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Bruning is a village located in Thayer County, Nebraska. ...

Yost's improved design for hot air balloons triggered the modern sport balloon movement. Today, hot air balloons are much more common than gas balloons.

Events in the early history of ballooning; collecting cards from the late 19th century.

Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 477 pixelsFull resolution (2456 × 1465 pixel, file size: 3. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 480 pixelsFull resolution (2456 × 1474 pixel, file size: 3. ...

Balloons as flying machines

A tethered helium balloon gives the public rides to 500 feet (150 m) above the city of Bristol, England. The inset shows detail of the gondola.

A balloon is conceptually the simplest of all flying machines. The balloon is a fabric envelope filled with a gas that is lighter than the surrounding atmosphere. As the entire balloon is less dense than its surroundings, it rises, taking along with it a basket, attached underneath, that carries passengers or payload. Although a balloon has no propulsion system, a degree of directional control is possible through making the balloon rise or sink in altitude to find favorable wind directions. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1626x1712, 761 KB) A static balloon gives the public a view of the city, at Castle Park, Bristol, England. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1626x1712, 761 KB) A static balloon gives the public a view of the city, at Castle Park, Bristol, England. ... For other uses, see Helium (disambiguation). ... This article is about the English city. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Balloon (disambiguation). ... The expression lighter than air refers to objects, usually aircraft, that are buoyant in air because they have an average density that is less than that of air (usually because they contain gases that have a density that is lower than that of air). ... For other uses, see Density (disambiguation). ...

The first balloons capable of carrying passengers used hot air to obtain buoyancy and were built by the brothers Josef and Etienne Montgolfier in Annonay, France. Jacques Étienne Montgolfier For the indie pop band, see The Montgolfier Brothers. ... Annonay is a town and commune in the Ardèche département of France in the Rhône-Alpes region. ...

Balloons using the light gas hydrogen for buoyancy were flown less than a month later. They were invented by Professor Jacques Charles and first flown on December 1, 1783. Gas balloons have greater lift and can be flown much longer than hot air, so gas balloons dominated ballooning for the next 200 years. In the 19th century, it was common to use town gas to fill balloons; it was not as light as pure hydrogen gas, but was much cheaper and readily available. Jacques Alexandre César Charles, 1820 First flight by Prof. ... is the 335th day of the year (336th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1783 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... The lift force, lifting force or simply lift is a mechanical force generated by solid objects as they move through a fluid. ... Town gas is a generic term referring to manufactured gas produced for sale to consumers and municipalities. ...

The third balloon type was invented by Pilâtre de Rozier and is a hybrid of a hot air and a gas balloon. Gas balloons have an advantage of being able to fly for a long time, and hot air balloons have an advantage of being able to easily change altitude, so the Rozier balloon was a hydrogen balloon with a separate hot air balloon attached. In 1785, Pilâtre de Rozier took off in an attempt to fly across the English Channel, but the balloon exploded a half-hour into the flight. This accident earned de Rozier the title "The First to Fly and the First to Die". It wasn't until the 1980s that technology once again allowed the Rozier balloons to become feasible. Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier. ... The Rozier balloon is a type of hybrid balloon that has separate chambers for a non-heated lifting gas (such as hydrogen or helium) as well as a heated lifting gas (as used in a hot air balloon. ... For the Thoroughbred racehorse of the same name, see English Channel (horse). ...

Gas balloons at the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

Hot air balloons, San Diego, California

Jean-Pierre Blanchard made the first piloted balloon flight in North America on January 9, 1793. Gas balloons inflating at the Balloon Fiesta Park during the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta in Albuquerque, New Mexico. ... Gas balloons inflating at the Balloon Fiesta Park during the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta in Albuquerque, New Mexico. ... Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is a yearly gathering of hot air balloon enthusiasts from around the world, occurring in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA, during the first week of October. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1024x768, 141 KB)Source [1] Site says: This image is public domain. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1024x768, 141 KB)Source [1] Site says: This image is public domain. ... San Diego redirects here. ... Jean-Pierre Blanchard (aka Jean Pierre François Blanchard), (7 July 1753 – 7 March 1809) was a French inventor, most remembered a pioneer in aviation and ballooning. ... North America North America is a continent[1] in the Earths northern hemisphere and (chiefly) western hemisphere. ... is the 9th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1793 (MDCCXCIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Saturday of the 11-day slower Julian calendar). ...

Both the hot air, or Montgolfière, balloon and the gas balloon are still in common use. Montgolfière balloons are relatively inexpensive as they do not require high-grade materials for their envelopes, and they are popular for balloonist sport activity.

Light gas balloons are predominant in scientific applications, as they are capable of reaching much higher altitudes for much longer periods of time. They are generally filled with helium. Although hydrogen has more lifting power, it is explosive in an atmosphere full of oxygen. With a few exceptions, scientific balloon missions are unmanned. General Name, symbol, number oxygen, O, 8 Chemical series nonmetals, chalcogens Group, period, block 16, 2, p Appearance colorless (gas) pale blue (liquid) Standard atomic weight 15. ...

There are two types of light-gas balloons: zero-pressure and superpressure. Zero-pressure balloons are the traditional form of light-gas balloon. They are partially inflated with the light gas before launch, with the gas pressure the same both inside and outside the balloon. As the zero-pressure balloon rises, its gas expands to maintain the zero pressure difference, and the balloon's envelope swells.

At night, the gas in a zero-pressure balloon cools and contracts, causing the balloon to sink. A zero-pressure balloon can only maintain altitude by releasing gas when it goes too high, where the expanding gas can threaten to rupture the envelope, or releasing ballast when it sinks too low. Loss of gas and ballast limits the endurance of zero-pressure balloons to a few days.

A superpressure balloon, in contrast, has a tough and inelastic envelope that is filled with light gas to pressure higher than that of the external atmosphere, and then sealed. The superpressure balloon cannot change size greatly, and so maintains a generally constant volume. The superpressure balloon maintains an altitude of constant density in the atmosphere, and can maintain flight until gas leakage gradually brings it down.

Superpressure balloons offer flight endurance of months, rather than days. In fact, in typical operation an Earth-based superpressure balloon mission is ended by a command from ground control to open the envelope, rather than by natural leakage of gas.

For air transport balloons must contain a gas lighter than the surrounding air. There are two types: Aviation or Air transport refers to the activities surrounding mechanical flight and the aircraft industry. ...

• Hot air balloons: filled with hot air, which by heating becomes lighter than the surrounding air; they have been used to carry human passengers since the 1790s;
• Balloons filled with:
  • hydrogen - highly flammable (see Hindenburg disaster)
  • helium - safe if used properly, but very expensive.

Large helium balloons are used as high flying vessels to carry scientific instruments (as do weather balloons), or even human passengers. This article is about the chemistry of hydrogen. ... LZ 129 Hindenburg was a German zeppelin that was destroyed by fire while landing at Lakehurst Naval Air Station in New Jersey on May 6, 1937. ... For other uses, see Helium (disambiguation). ... Rawinsonde weather balloon just after launch. ...

Cluster ballooning uses many smaller gas-filled balloons for flight (see An Introduction to Cluster Ballooning). Cluster ballooning Cluster ballooning is an uncommon form of ballooning in which a single balloonist is attached by a harness to a cluster of relatively small helium-inflated rubber balloons. ...

Balloons in the military

Main article: History of military ballooning

See also: Observation balloon

The first military use of a balloon was at the Battle of Fleurus in 1794, when L'Entreprenant was used by French Revolutionary troops to watch the movements of the enemy. On April 2, 1794, an aeronauts corps was created in the French army; however, given the logistical problems linked with the production of hydrogen on the battlefield (it required constructing ovens and pouring water on white-hot iron), the corps was disbanded in 1799. Balloons were the first mechanisms used in air warfare. ... Observation balloons were widely employed as aerial platforms for purposes of intelligence gathering and artillery direction during the First World War and beyond. ... The Battle of Fleurus, fought on June 26, 1794 was one of the most decisive battles in the Low Countries during the French, under Jourdan were able to more effectively concentrate their forces in order to achieve victory against the Austrian army under Saxe-Cobourg. ... The French Revolution (1789–1815) was a period of political and social upheaval in the political history of France and Europe as a whole, during which the French governmental structure, previously an absolute monarchy with feudal privileges for the aristocracy and Catholic clergy, underwent radical change to forms based on... is the 92nd day of the year (93rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1794 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ...

American Civil War

The Union Army Balloon Intrepid being inflated from the gas generators for the Battle of Fair Oaks

The first major-scale use of balloons in the military occurred during the American Civil War with the Union Army Balloon Corps established and organized by Prof. Thaddeus S. C. Lowe in the summer of 1861. The balloons were inflated with coke gas from municipal services and then walked out to the battlefield, an arduous and inefficient operation as the balloons had to be returned to the city every four days for re-inflation. Eventually hydrogen gas generators, a compact system of tanks and copper plumbing, were constructed which converted the combining of iron filings and sulphuric acid to hydrogen. The generators were easily transported with the uninflated balloons to the field on a standard buckboard. In all, Lowe built seven balloons that were fit for military service. Image File history File linksMetadata Gas_balloon_inflation. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Gas_balloon_inflation. ... Battle of Seven Pines Conflict American Civil War Date May 31 - June 1, 1862 Place Henrico County, Virginia Result Inconclusive The Battle of Seven Pines, also known as the Battle of Fair Oaks or Fair Oaks Station, took place from May 31 – June 1, 1862, in Henrico County, Virginia... Combatants United States of America (Union) Confederate States of America (Confederacy) Commanders Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee Strength 2,200,000 1,064,000 Casualties 110,000 killed in action, 360,000 total dead, 275,200 wounded 93,000 killed in action, 258,000 total... Woodblock sketch of Lowes balloon with McClellans Army of the Potomac as depicted in Harpers Weekly. ... Thaddeus Sobieski Constantine Lowe (1832-1913) Thaddeus Sobieski Constantine Lowe (August 20, 1832 – January 16, 1913) was an American aeronaut, scientist and inventor. ... Town gas is a generic term referring to manufactured gas produced for sale to consumers and municipalities. ... Hydrogen production is done in bulk today from hydrocarbon fossil fuels via a chemical path. ... Copper has played a significant part in the history of mankind, which has used the easily accessible uncompounded metal for nearly 10,000 years. ... For other uses, see Iron (disambiguation). ... Sulfuric acid (British English: sulphuric acid), H2SO4, is a strong mineral acid. ...

The first application thought useful for balloons was map-making from aerial vantage points, thus Lowe's first assignment was with the Topographical Engineers. General Irvin McDowell, commander of the Army of the Potomac, realized their value in aerial reconnaissance and had Lowe, who at the time was using his personal balloon the Enterprise, called up to the First Battle of Bull Run. In a later exercise, Lowe was called to act as a Forward Artillery Observer (FAO) from which aerial station he was able to direct artillery fire by a set order of flag signals, from an unseen position, onto a Confederate encampment. FAO is still used today from either ground or aerial positions. General Irvin McDowell Irvin McDowell (October 15, 1818 – May 4, 1885) was an American military officer, famous for his participation in the American Civil War. ... Generals Burnside, Hancock, Couch, Ferro, Patrick, Wilcox, Cochrane, Buford and others. ... The Enterprise was a hot air balloon used by the Union Army to spot oncoming troops during the American Civil War. ... Combatants United States of America Confederate States of America Commanders Irvin McDowell Joseph E. Johnston P.G.T. Beauregard Strength 35,000 32,500 Casualties 2,896 (460 killed, 1,124 wounded, 1,312 captured/missing)[1] 1,982 (387 killed, 1,582 wounded, 13 missing)[1] For other uses... For other uses, see Artillery (disambiguation). ... This article is in need of attention. ...

Lowe's first military balloon, the Eagle was ready by October 1, 1861. It was called into service immediately to be towed to Lewinsville, Virginia, without any gas generator which took longer to build. The trip began after inflation in Washington, D.C. and turned into a 12 mile (19 km), 12-hour excursion that was upended by a gale force wind which ripped the aerostat from its netting and sent it sailing to the coast. Balloon activities were suspended until all balloons and gas generators were completed. is the 274th day of the year (275th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1861 (MDCCCLXI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Sunday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... Lewinsville is an unincorporated community in Fairfax County, Virginia, USA. Traditionally, the center of Lewinsville has been located at the crossroads of Lewinsville and Chain Bridge Roads. ... For other uses, see Washington, D.C. (disambiguation). ... Uncrewed aerostats can carry instruments and sensors for long durations that are impractical for humans and other aircraft. ...

With his ability to inflate balloons from remote stations, Lowe, his new balloon the Washington and two gas generators were loaded onto a converted coal barge the George Washington Parke Custis. As he was towed down the Potomac, Lowe was able to ascend and observe the battlefield as it moved inward on the heavily forested peninsula. This would be the military's first claim of an aircraft carrier. The Potomac River flows into the Chesapeake Bay, located along the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States (USA). ... Four aircraft carriers, (bottom-to-top) Principe de Asturias, amphibious assault carrier USS Wasp, USS Forrestal and light V/STOL carrier HMS Invincible, showing size differences of late 20th century carriers An aircraft carrier is a warship designed to deploy and in most cases recover aircraft, acting as a sea...

The Union Army Balloon Corps enjoyed more success in the battles of the Peninsula Campaign than the Army of the Potomac it sought to support. The general military attitude toward the use of balloons deteriorated, and by August 1863 the Balloon Corps was disbanded. McClellan and Johnston of the Peninsula Campaign The Peninsula Campaign (also known as the Peninsular Campaign) of the American Civil War was a major Union operation launched in southeastern Virginia from March through July 1862, the first large-scale offensive in the Eastern Theater. ...

The Confederate Army also made use of balloons, but they were gravely hampered by supplies due to the embargoes. They were forced to fashion their balloons from colored silk dress-making material, and their use was limited by the infrequent supply of gas in Richmond, Virginia. By the summer of 1863, all balloon reconnaissance of the Civil War had ceased. This article is in need of attention. ... For other uses of this word, see Silk (disambiguation). ... Nickname: Motto: Sic dic Itur Ad Astra (Thus do we reach the stars) Location in the Commonwealth of Virginia Coordinates: , Country State County Independent City Government  - Mayor L. Douglas Wilder (I) Area  - City 62. ...

In other countries

In Britain during July 1863, experimental balloon ascents for reconnaissance purposes were conducted by the Royal Engineers on behalf of the British Army, but although the experiments were successful it was considered not worth pursuing further because it was too expensive. However by 1888 a School of Ballooning was established at Chatham, Medway, Kent. It moved to Stanhope Lines, Aldershot in 1890 when a balloon section and depot were formed as permanent units of the Royal Engineers establishment. Mixed reconnaissance patrol of the Polish Home Army and the Soviet Red Army during Operation Tempest, 1944 Reconnaissance is the military term for the active gathering of information about an enemy, or other conditions, by physical observation. ... The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers (RE), and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army. ... The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. ... , Chatham is a large English town that developed around an important naval dockyard on the east bank of the River Medway to the south-east of London in the county of Kent. ... For other uses, see Aldershot (disambiguation). ... The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers (RE), and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army. ...

During the Paraguayan War, balloons were also used for observation by the Brazilian Army. Combatants Paraguay Uruguay, Argentina, Empire of Brazil Commanders Francisco Solano López † José E. Díaz Pedro II of Brazil Duke of Caxias Bartolomé Mitre Venancio Flores Strength at the beginning of the war ca. ... The Brazilian Army is the land arm of the Brazilian Military. ...

Balloons were used by the Royal Engineers for reconnaissance and observation purposes during the Bechuanaland Expedition (1885), the Sudan Expedition (1885) and during the Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902). On October 5, 1907 Colonel John Capper (late Royal Engineers) and team flew the military airship Nulli Secundus from Farnborough round St Paul's Cathedral in London and back with a view to raising public interest. The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers (RE), and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army. ... An 1887 map showing the Crown Colony of Bechuanaland (shaded pink) and the Bechuanaland Protectorate (pink border) The Bechuanaland Protectorate (BP) was a protectorate established on March 31, 1885 by the United Kingdom in southern Africa. ... The Nile Expedition was a British mission to relieve Major-General Charles George Gordon at Khartoum, Sudan. ... Combatants British Empire Orange Free State South African Republic Commanders Sir Redvers Buller Lord Kitchener Lord Roberts Paul Kruger Louis Botha Koos de la Rey Martinus Steyn Christiaan de Wet Casualties 6,000 - 7,000 (A further ~14,000 from disease) 6,000 - 8,000 (Unknown number from disease) Civilians... For other uses, see 5th October (Serbia). ... Year 1907 (MCMVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... There are several places named Farnborough: United Kingdom Farnborough in the London Borough of Bromley (prior to 1965 in Kent) Farnborough in Warwickshire Farnborough in Berkshire Farnborough in Hampshire Farnborough Airfield formerly the Royal Aircraft Establishment This is a disambiguation page — a list of pages that otherwise might share the... This article is about the cathedral church of the diocese of London. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ...

Hydrogen-filled balloons were also widely used during World War I (1914-1918) to detect enemy troop movements and to direct artillery fire. Observers phoned their reports to officers on the ground who then relayed the information to those who needed it. “The Great War ” redirects here. ...

Because artillery was such an important factor in World War I, balloons were frequent targets of opposing aircraft. Though balloon companies were protected by antiaircraft guns and patrolling fighters, casualties were frequently heavy. One reason for this was the hydrogen that filled the balloons was highly flammable, and planes assigned to attack enemy balloons were often equipped with incendiary bullets, for the purpose of igniting the balloon. There are very few or no other articles that link to this one. ...

The Aeronaut Badge was established by the United States Army in World War I to denote service members who were qualified balloon pilots. Observation balloons were retained well after the Great War, being used in the Russo-Finnish conflicts (1939-40 and 1941-45). First World War Aeronaut Badges The Balloon Pilot Badge is a military badge of the United States Armed Forces which was issued during the First and Second World Wars. ... The United States Army is the largest and oldest branch of the armed forces of the United States. ... Combatants Finland Soviet Union Commanders Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim Kliment Voroshilov, later Semyon Timoshenko Strength 250,000 men 30 tanks 130 aircraft[1][2] 1,000,000 men 6,541 tanks [3] 3,800 aircraft[4][5] Casualties 26,662 dead 39,886 wounded 1,000 captured[6] 126,875... Combatants  Finland Germany Italy1  Soviet Union  United Kingdom2 Commanders C.G.E. Mannerheim Kirill Meretskov Leonid Govorov Strength 530,000 Finns[1] 220,000 Germans 900,000–1,500,000[2] Casualties 58,715 dead or missing 158,000 wounded 1,500 civilian dead[3] 200,000 dead or missing...

The Japanese launched thousands of balloon bombs to the US and Canada, carried in the jet stream; see fire balloon. The British used balloons to carry incendiary devices to Germany between 1942 and 1944; see Operation Outward. Jet streams are fast flowing, relatively narrow air currents found in the atmosphere at around 12 km above the surface of the Earth, just under the tropopause. ... Shotdown fire balloon reinflated by Americans in California The term fire balloon can mean a small unmanned hot air balloon for festivities; this is also called a sky lantern. ... Operation Outward was the name given to the British Second World War programme to attack Germany by means of free-flying balloons. ...

Records

On May 27, 1931, Auguste Piccard and Paul Kipfer became the first to reach the stratosphere in a balloon.^[1] is the 147th day of the year (148th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1931 (MCMXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1931 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Auguste Piccard (1927) Auguste Antoine Piccard (January 28, 1884 – March 24, 1962) was a Swiss physicist, inventor and explorer. ... Atmosphere diagram showing stratosphere. ...

On August 31, 1933, Alexander Dahl took the first picture of the earth's curvature in an open hot air balloon.^[2] is the 243rd day of the year (244th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1933 (MCMXXXIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Alexander Dahl (* November 29, 1892 in Barmen; † December 15, 1978 in Wuppertal) was a German industrialist, author und balloonist. ...

The altitude record for a manned balloon was set at 34,668 meters on May 4, 1961 by Malcolm Ross and Victor Prather in the Stratolab V balloon payload launched from the deck of the USS Antietam in the Gulf of Mexico. is the 124th day of the year (125th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1961 (MCMLXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Malcolm Ross (born in 1919), was a Captain in the U.S. Navy, and a balloonist who set several records for altitude: in 1956, he piloted a balloon to 86,000 feet for the US Navy; in 1959, he took Charles B. Moore to 89,000 feet (27 km) so... Lt. ... Stratolab was a high-altitude manned balloon platform flown by the United States during the Space Race in the late 1950s and early 1960s. ... The second Antietam (CV-36) was laid down on 15 March 1943 by the Philadelphia Navy Yard; launched on 20 August 1944 sponsored by Mrs. ... Gulf of Mexico in 3D perspective. ...

The altitude record for an unmanned balloon is 53.0 kilometres, reached with a volume of 60,000 cubic metres. The balloon was launched by JAXA in May 25 2002 from Iwate Prefecture, Japan^[3]. This is the greatest height ever obtained by an atmospheric vehicle. Only rockets, rocket planes, and ballistic projectiles have flown higher. The Japan Aerospace eXploration Agency (JAXA) is Japans aerospace agency. ... Iwate Prefecture ) is located in the Tohoku region on Honshū island, Japan. ... This article is about vehicles powered by rocket engines. ... A rocket plane is an aircraft that uses a rocket for propulsion, sometimes in addition to jet engines. ... For other uses, see Ballistics (disambiguation). ...

Balloons in space

The Echo satellite was a balloon launched by rocket in 1960 and used for passive relay of radio communication. Echo 1 sits fully inflated at a Navy hangar in Weeksville, North Carolina. ...

In 1984 the Soviet space probes Vega 1 and Vega 2 released two balloons with scientific experiments in the atmosphere of Venus. They transmitted signals for two days to Earth. CCCP redirects here. ... The Vega mission was a Venus mission which also took advantage of the appearance of Comet Halley in 1986. ... For other uses, see Venus (disambiguation). ...

Ballons in Literature

Jules Verne, wrote an interesting NON FICTION story about being stranded alive in a hydrogen baloon, an interesting read filled with facts, and clippings from newspapers, the story can be found at; [1]

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Balloon

• Balloon Flight Contest
• Balloon-carried light effect
• Cluster ballooning
• First flying machine
• High altitude balloon
• Hopper balloon
• List of altitude records reached by different aircraft types
• List of early flying machines
• Blimp
• Observation balloon
• Project Manhigh
• QinetiQ 1
• Skyhook balloon
• Thermal airship
• Zeppelin

Image File history File links Commons-logo. ... A balloon race A balloon flight contest (also called a balloon race in some places) is a competition wherein the competitors attempt to send unmanned balloons as far as possible. ... Please wikify (format) this article or section as suggested in the Guide to layout and the Manual of Style. ... Cluster ballooning Cluster ballooning is an uncommon form of ballooning in which a single balloonist is attached by a harness to a cluster of relatively small helium-inflated rubber balloons. ... There are conflicting views as to what was the first flying machine. ... High altitude balloons are balloons, usually filled with helium, that are released into the upper atmosphere, generally reaching between 60,000 and 120,000 feet. ... A hopper balloon (or simply hopper) is a small, one-person hot air balloon. ... A list of altitude records reached by different aircraft types. ... This is a listing of early flying machines. ... “Blimp” redirects here. ... Observation balloons were widely employed as aerial platforms for purposes of intelligence gathering and artillery direction during the First World War and beyond. ... Manhigh 2 gondola Project Manhigh along with Project Excelsior was a pre space-age military project that brought men in balloons to the upper layers of the earths atmosphere. ... QinetiQ 1 is a balloon designed to set a new manned balloon world altitude record of around 40 km (25 miles, 132,000 feet). ... The skyhook balloon launched in 1957 to photograph the sun Skyhook ballons were balloons developed Otto C. Winzen and used by the United States Navy Office of Naval Research in the late 1940s and in the 1950s for atmospheric research, especially for constant-level meteorological observations at very high altitudes. ... A thermal airship is an airship that generates its lift via a temperature differential between the gas inside its envelope and the ambient air. ... Zeppelins are a type of rigid airship pioneered by German Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin in the early 20th century, based in part on an earlier design by aviation pioneer David Schwarz. ...

References

External links

• Hot Air Balloon Simulator - learn the dynamics of a hot air balloon on the Internet based simulator.
• Stratocat Historical recopilation project on the use of stratospheric balloons in the scientific research, the military field and the aerospace activity
• Royal Engineers Museum Royal Engineers and Aeronautics
• Royal Engineers Museum Early British Military Ballooning (1863)
• Balloon fabrics made of Goldbeater's skins by Chollet, L. Technical Section of Aeronautics. December 1922
• Tripod