The balloon is the earliest flying machine in human history, more than 100 years before the invention of the airplane. So far, there are more than 20,000 hot air balloons in the world. In Europe, the United States and other developed countries, hot air balloons are used almost every day.
From Kong Ming lanterns to manned hot air balloons
The oldest "hot air balloon" in the world is the Kong Ming Lantern, which appeared in ancient China. It is at least 1,000 years old. At that time, people tied bamboo grates into boxes and then put stickers on them to make lanterns. Then they lit the turpentine on the tray below, and the rising smoke would lift the lantern into the air. This kind of paper lamp is used for military liaison, also known as Kong Ming lamp. It spread widely among the people. So far, Kong Mingdeng's flight activities have continued, but its significance has ceased to be used for communication in the past, but has become a folk custom of blessing and wishing, and has become part of traditional Chinese culture.
Compared to today's hot air balloons, Kong Ming lanterns work very similarly: when the air is heated and expanded, the density becomes smaller, pushing the object up. It can be seen that Kong Mingdeng is the most primitive hot air balloon. However, Kong Ming Lantern cannot carry people.
The inventor of the hot air balloon that can carry people is the Montfir brothers in France. When burning objects, billowing smoke will come out, and clothes baked on the fire can be lifted by the heat emitted by the fire, which inspired the idea of hot air balloons.
As early as 1782, the Mongefer brothers began making hot air balloons. From 1782 to the first half of 1783, they made several balloon models for launch testing. In June 1783, the Memgofi brothers made an 800 cubic meter hot air balloon out of linen and rice straw burning underneath the balloon so that the hot air balloon could take off. They believed that the thick smoke helped the balloon take off and specially added some damp cloth and carrion to the straw. After the smoke filled the balloon, the balloon lifted off for nearly 100 kilometers, a distance of 2,000 meters.
On September 19 of the same year, the brothers raised a 1,400 cubic meter hot air balloon with a diameter of 12 meters and a height of 26 meters and made of linen lacquer cloth to an altitude of 500 meters in front of the King and ministers of France. The balloon flew in the air for 8 minutes 4000 meters before landing on the outskirts of Paris. This flight has built up great confidence for humans to take off in a hot air balloon.
On November 21, 1783, the Mongefer brothers put their elaborate 2,200 cubic meters of hot air balloon into the center of Paris and invited two French youths to ride. The balloon lifted off 1000 meters, flew for 25 minutes, and flew 10 kilometers, creating the first time in human history. The flight was 120 years before the Wright brothers' plane.
While the Montfir brothers were studying hot air balloons, French physicist Jacques Charles was also studying hydrogen balloons. On August 27, 1783, Charles released a hydrogen balloon nearly four meters in diameter. It flew for 45 minutes, floating and landing 25 kilometers away. On December 1, 1783, Charles personally piloted his hydrogen balloon with M.N. Robert. They flew for two hours and flew 36 kilometers. The continuous manned flights of hot and hydrogen balloons succeeded in creating the history of human take-off in balloons.
On June 5, 1785, J.F.P. Rozier, one of the first human launchers, and a manufacturer jointly developed a hot and hydrogen hybrid balloon. Unfortunately, on the first test flight, the balloon caught fire in the air and crashed, killing Rozier. The hybrid balloons used in modern flight were named "Rozier Balloons" in honor of this brave pioneer.
Towards modern applications
More than 170 years after its invention, hot air balloons are difficult to popularize due to materials and fuels. It was not until April 15, 1956, that the heating problem of the airbags was finally solved. On the same day, American James Cantor successfully flew for 26 minutes on a hot air balloon equipped with a new propane burner. Later, the balloon material was adopted in nylon cloth by the U.S. military parachute, which was light in weight and high in strength. New fuels and spherical materials offer broad prospects for the development of hot air balloons.
On October 21, 1960, the first modern material hot air balloon (known as the Modern Balloon) successfully flew in the United States. The emergence of modern hot air balloons has greatly promoted the application and popularization of hot air balloons. In 1966, the first modern hot air balloon appeared in Europe. Since then, the campaign has spread rapidly.
In 1973, the first World Hot Air Balloon Championship was held in New Mexico City, USA. Since then, the competition has been held every two years around the world. The International Aviation Federation also has world records for different types and levels of hot air balloon flights, such as take-off altitude, duration, flight distance, etc.
On March 20, 1999, Swiss pilot Pictell and British pilot Jones flew the "Centennial" 3 hybrid hot air balloon for 19 days, 21 hours and 47 minutes, with a flight distance of 40,814 kilometers, realizing a global exploration flight without landing. On July 2, 2002, American pilot Steve Fawcett completed the world's first single-person hot air balloon flight of 30,299 kilometers.
What do hot air balloons fly by
A hot air balloon consists mainly of airbags, burners that heat air, and baskets carrying people or items.
Airbags are made of high-strength nylon or polyester cloth. Although this material is thin and light, it is very strong. The burner is the heart of the hot air balloon. When the main burner is ignited, the flame height can reach 2 to 3M,
Quickly heat the air inside the airbag to generate lift. The ignition burner is the igniter of the main burner and remains in a state that is not blown out by the wind. This basket is made of rattan and used to pad the platform. It is like a cockpit, used to carry pilots, passengers, fuel bottles and flight instruments such as thermometers, altimeters and lift meters. In addition, hot air balloons are usually equipped with two sets of combustion systems to prevent failure in the air. The common fuel for hot air balloons is propane or liquefied petroleum gas. The gas cylinder is fixed in the basket. A hot air balloon can carry 80 kg of liquid fuel.
Hot air balloons use hot air to create buoyancy. They control the rise and fall of the balloon by regulating the temperature of the air inside the balloon through an on-board heater. Although a hot air balloon is called an airplane, it cannot fly as freely as an airplane. The pilot can only control the balloon to change altitude. The rise and fall of a hot air balloon is related to the temperature inside the hot air balloon. When the temperature inside the ball is high, the buoyancy of the balloon increases and the balloon rises; As the air inside the balloon cools, the buoyancy generated by the balloon is less than its own weight, and the balloon will descend. The pilot controls the air switch inside the balloon, adjusts the temperature inside the balloon, and then controls the rise and fall of the balloon.
In addition, there are differences in wind speed and direction between high and low altitudes. Near the ground, affected by the terrain and buildings, the wind direction will change and the wind speed will be significantly reduced. If you fly from the ground into the air in the morning or evening, the wind direction may change significantly every few meters or ten meters, and sometimes the wind direction is even reversed. Pilots experience different wind directions at different altitudes in the air, and then maneuver the balloon to ascend or descend to the desired wind direction altitude and maintain flight in this wind layer, thus achieving the purpose of flying to a certain goal. Simply put, balloons fly wherever the wind blows; how fast the wind is, how fast the balloon can fly.
Due to the comprehensive influence of wind speed, wind direction, air pressure and other factors on hot air balloon flight, there are many uncertainties in the hot air balloon flight process. Therefore, the technical requirements for pilots are very high.
The best time to take a hot air balloon ride is an hour or two before sunrise or sunset, as the airflow is very stable. Strong winds and fog are harmful to hot air balloons. According to the regulations, free flight is only possible when the wind speed is less than 6 m/s, the visibility is greater than 1500 m, and there is no precipitation in the flight airspace. The most important factor for a balloon to travel the world is the climate. In December and January of each year, the maximum speed of the rivers in the upper northern hemisphere reaches the highest speed of the year, reaching a maximum speed of 400 km/h. So pilots usually fly around the world in the winter.
What else can you do besides sightseeing
For fleet warning: the antenna part of the radar system is connected to a hot air balloon, which is then tied to the ship's large mast. Without electricity, you can see all directions from a great distance.
Meteorological observations
It is made of rubber or plastic and is filled with hydrogen, helium, and other gases that are lighter than air. It can carry instruments into the air for high-altitude meteorological observations. Large non-expanding plastic film balloons are widely used in boundary layer detection, global fixed level detection and stratosphere detection tests.
Military use
For fleet warning: the antenna part of the radar system is mounted on a hot air balloon, and then the hot air balloon is tied to the large mast of the warship. You can see in all directions from a distance without a power supply.
Indicate the submarine to attack the target: Place a balloon 200 kilometers away from the enemy to lock the target, which can indicate the target of a torpedo or cruise missile.
Combat readiness and duty: a hot air balloon is tied every 300 to 500 kilometers along the border, and radar and missiles are arranged on it. If an enemy suspicious aircraft is found, it will be launched automatically.
Future development
With the continuous advancement of science and technology, the use of hot air balloons is no longer limited to the interior of the atmosphere, but limited to the vastness of the universe. NASA is currently developing a low-cost approach to space exploration that uses hot air balloons to explore other planets and moons within the solar system.
Hot air balloons can carry out unmanned missions and transport equipment. They have a lot of potential destinations. The first stop is Titan, Saturn's largest moon. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory has designed a hot air balloon that must withstand temperatures of around minus 180 degrees Celsius to survive spaceflight. Oregon-based Low Earth Space is currently conducting high-altitude tests on the prototype. "We can simulate the Martian atmosphere that they have to go through," said Tim Rahmer, the company's president. In short, the prospects for hot air balloons in the future are quite good!