First manned flight in a hydrogen balloon, France, 1 December 1783 (1887). Artist: Anon

---

First manned flight in a hydrogen balloon, France, 1 December 1783 (1887). French aeronauts Jacques Charles (1746-1823) and Noel Robert made the first manned (free flight) ascent in a hydrogen balloon, designed by Charles, a physics professor, and constructed by Robert and his brother Jean. It took off in front of a crowd of 400,000, landing two hours later at Nesle-la-Vallee, over 27 miles away. Robert alighted there but Charles re-ascended in the balloon, as seen here, reaching an altitude of over 9000 feet. From Histoire des Ballons by Gaston Tissandier. (Paris, 1887).

---

Size: 4843px × 3629px
Location: World,Europe,France
Photo credit: © Ann Ronan Picture Library/Heritage-Images / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: -, 18th, 19th, aeronautics, alexandre, ann, anon, anonymous, ascent, balloon, ballooning, century, cesar, charles, color, colour, concept, country, eighteenth, engraving, flight, france, french, gaston, hydrogen, innovation, jacques, jean, location, nineteenth, noel, people, pictures, robert, ronan, spectator, technology, tgn, tissandier, watching