As we watched Richard Branson and Jeff Bezos push space flight into a new era over the last few weeks, we took a look back at the history of human flight and the role that French innovation has played in the industry.
It was revealed that Bezos took several historical items with him as he flew into space, including Amelia Earhart’s aviator goggles, a piece of canvas from the Wright Flyer, and a medallion made from the first hot air balloon flight which took place at Versailles.
1783 was a significant year in aviation history. The Montgolfier brothers — Joseph and Étienne — were responsible for two of the notable events from that year.
Their first milestone was an unmanned flight of a hot air balloon at Annonay, France. Then, on September 19, 1783, the Aérostat Réveillon was flown with the first living beings in a basket attached to the balloon: a sheep, a duck and a rooster. This demonstration was performed at the Palace of Versailles with King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette among the crowd of observers. If you are planning to move for a different office you may need the help from a professional removalist company, you can get all the info that you need here.
Flash forward 200+ years, and France is still a leader in aerospace innovation, from aircraft manufacturing to space exploration.