Gaston Tissandier

Tissandier Gaston ( born November 21, 1843 in Paris, † August 30, 1899 in Paris) was a French chemist, meteorologist and aeronaut.

Life

Gaston Tissandier devoted himself mainly chemistry and headed 1864-1874 the experimental laboratory of the National Union.

During this time he was also involved in meteorological work and in 1868 he undertook, therefore, from Calais to Claude -Jules Duruof ( 1841-1899 ) his first balloon ride. In 1869, he presented with Wilfrid de Fonvielle 90 km in 35 minutes back.

Since then he went on with his brother Albert (1839-1906) more than 20 times. In 1870, he fled with a balloon from besieged Paris. 1875 Joseph Croce - Spinelli ( 1845-1875 ) and Théodore Sivel ( 1834-1875 ) two trips, one of which took a 23 hours. The second voyage on April 15, 1875, made ​​principally for the purpose of spectroscopic investigations, led to an altitude of 8,600 m. His two companions cost of the lack of oxygen life, Tissandier survived, but lost his hearing. In 1881 an airship was presented by the brothers Tissandier first time, which was equipped with an electric motor. The 1.5 horsepower motor Siemens drove a two -bladed propeller. This hydrogen-air ship had its maiden flight on 8 October 1883. Initially, this prototype was financed privately. A second model, now with a more powerful electric motor, was taken in August 1884 by the French military and first tested.

Tissandier was Vice President of the French aeronaut Society, Professor of the Polytechnic Association and member of the French Legion of Honour. He wrote besides many other magazine articles especially for the 1873 he founded the journal La Nature. Tissandier died in Paris in 1899.