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400 BCE
Kites are invented in China.
Contribution - humans started to think of different ways of flight. Significance - lead to the development of other equipment used for flight such as balloons and gliders. Resource - https://www.grc.nasa.gov/www/k-12/UEET/StudentSite/historyofflight.html. -
1485
Leonardo da Vinci designs flying machines.
Contribution - demonstrated how humans could fly one day. Significance - the ideas of this machine were used in the future to invent the modern day helicopter. Resources - https://www.da-vinci-inventions.com/flying-machine. -
Robert Hooke propelled the idea of manned flight.
Contribution - proposed that humans didn't have enough strength to power artificial wings. Significance - proved that human flight would require some form of artificial propulsion. Resource - http://www.cabinetmagazine.org/issues/27/tkacsyk.php. -
Joseph and Jacques Montgolfier - the First Hot Air Balloon
Contribution - the invention of the first hot air balloon. Hot air was used to allow the balloon to rise into the air. Significance - the first successful maned flight. Robert Hooke's theory of artificial propulsion was proven to be correct. Resources - https://www.museumofflight.org/Exhibits/montgolfier-brothers-balloon. -
George Cayley’s published his biplane design.
Contribution - discovered the four aerodynamic forces that make up aeronautics. The four aerodynamic forces being weight, lift, drag, and thrust. Significance - was the discovery of a new way man could fly. Resource - https://www.britannica.com/biography/Sir-George-Cayley. -
Otto Lilienthal flies biplane gliders.
Contribution - first person to design a glider that was capable of flying a human. Significance - designed gliders that were able to fly. Resource - http://www.flyingmachines.org/lilthl.html. -
Wright brothers take flight.
Contribution - designed an engine to power an airplane. Built airplane propellers. Significance - built and flew the first airplane. They designed the airplane that took flight. Resource - https://www.history.com/topics/inventions/wright-brothers. -
First man to take flight across the Atlantic.
Contribution - Charles Lindberg was the first man to fly across the Atlantic Ocean in an airplane. Significance - he flew solo and without any stopping points. Resource - https://historicmissourians.shsmo.org/historicmissourians/name/l/lindbergh/. -
First woman to take flight across the Atlantic.
Contribution - Amelia Earhart was the first woman to cross the Atlantic Ocean in an airplane. Significance - she flew solo and without any stopping points. Demonstrated that flight wasn't restricted to one gender. Resource - https://flightpaths.lib.purdue.edu/blog/2016/09/13/amelia-earhart-the-flying-feminist/. -
Tragedy of the Hindenberg.
Contribution - end of airships during this era. Significance - demonstrated that accidents can happen with these man-made machines. Resource - https://www.livescience.com/58959-hindenburg-crash.html. -
Aircraft exceeds the speed of sound.
Contribution - Chuck Yeager flew the first aircraft to exceed the speed of sound. Significance - Demonstrated that flight exploration was just beginning. Resource - https://www.britannica.com/biography/Chuck-Yeager. -
The Moon landing.
Contribution - demonstrated that space exploration is possible. Significance - a spacecraft arrived on the surface of the moon. Neil Armstrong was the first man to set foot on the moon. His famous quote regarding the moon landing was "That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind." Resource - https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/apollo/apollo11.html. -
Mars rovers successfully land.
Contribution - Mars rovers are capable of explore the surface of the planet. Significance - rovers are capable of capturing footage on a planets surface. This is just the beginning of space exploration. Resource - https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/heo/scan/images/history/January2004.html.
