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Hot Air Balloon first flight
The first hot air balloon was made by 2 french brothers named Joesif and Ethien Montgolfier. They used paper bags to make the hot air balloon. When they were landing their new balloon, the paper bags would sometimes tear and the fire used to heat the balloon would catch the bags on fire. -
The Civil War Begins – Fort Sumter Charleston SC
The American Civil War began on April 12, 1861 in Charleston SC at Fort Sumter. -
Murat Hasket, a union soildier requests a new balloon corps
Murat Hasket wrote a letter to the Secretary of the Treasury saying that the U.S. needed a balloon corps. President Lincoln saw the letter and told Lowe to build 4 balloons immediatately. -
Thaddeus Lowe puts Balloons on Barges
Thaddeus Lowe made an "aircraft carrier" by placing balloons on barges for tranportation. This allowed the Union military to take balloons closer to battle so they could watch their enemies closely. -
Confederate Soldier John R. Bryan launched an observation balloon over Yorktown, Virginia
Bryan launched himself along with his balloon over Yorktown,Virginia on April 13, 1862.The balloon was leaning right but he was still able to draw out a map of his troops positions. -
Spring of 1862 the Confederates formed their own, smaller, army balloon corps
The Confederates made a smaller version of the Union balloon corps. Their balloons were made of cotton and varnish, nothing like the Union balloons. The Confederate balloons were filled with hot air but the Union balloons were filled with hydrogen. The Confederacy didn't have the tools to put hydrogen in the balloons on the battlefield. -
The Civil War Ends
General Robert E Lee surrenders at Appomattox Court House, Virginia, April 9, 1865 -
Sputnik1 the first artificial Satellite is launched
Sputnik1 was the world's fist Satellite launched into space. The Soviet Union launched this satellite, starting the "space race." -
US Air Force begins use of reconnaissance satellites
The first series if military suvailance satellites were called Corona and used film to capture images. -
Modern Surveillance: Satellites and "Drones"are used as Military Surveillance instead of Hot Air Balloons
The RAVEN is an example of a drone. It provides surveillance video to soldiers in the field. Sattellites are far up in Space but they can still capture video and pictures for the military and sometimes everyday people. An exmple of this is Google Earth and the images you can see when using the software.
