Robert brothers

"Nicolas-Louis Robert" redirects here. Not to be confused with Louis-Nicolas Robert.
For other people, see Robert (surname) and Roberts Brothers.
Anne-Jean Robert
Born1758 (1758)[1]
Paris
Died1820 (aged 61–62)[1]
Paris
Other namesl'aîné, (the elder)
Occupation(s)Mechanical engineer, Balloonist
Known forBuilder of first hydrogen balloon
Builder of first manned hydrogen balloon
Co-pilot of first balloon flight over 100km 1784
Nicolas-Louis Robert
The world's first manned hydrogen balloon flight. 1783
Born1760 (1760)[1]
Paris
Died1820 (aged 59–60)[1]
Other namesMarie-Noël Robert
Robert le Jeune
cadet the younger[1]
Occupation(s)Mechanical engineer, Balloonist
Known forBuilder of first hydrogen balloon
Builder of first manned hydrogen balloon
Co-pilot of first manned hydrogen balloon flight in 1783
Co-pilot of first balloon flight over 100km 1784[2]

Les Frères Robert were two French brothers. Anne-Jean Robert (1758–1820) and Nicolas-Louis Robert (1760–1828) were the engineers who built the world's first hydrogen balloon for professor Jacques Charles,[3] which flew from central Paris on 27 August 1783.[1][4] They went on to build the world's first manned hydrogen balloon, and on 1 December 1783 Nicolas-Louis accompanied Jacques Charles on a 2-hour, 5-minute flight.[1][5][4] Their barometer and thermometer made it the first balloon flight to provide meteorological measurements of the atmosphere above the Earth's surface.[6]

The brothers subsequently experimented with an elongated elliptical shape for the hydrogen envelope in a balloon they attempted to power and steer by means of oars and umbrellas.[1] In September 1784 the brothers flew 186 km from Paris to Beuvry, the world's first flight of more than 100 km.[1][7]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Cite error: The named reference FAI was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference Larousse was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Chisholm 1911.
  4. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Fid Green was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference TodinSci 1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference Cira was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference FAA Oct 2001 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).