Auguste Piccard, the first man to fly in the stratosphere in a balloon

90 years ago, Auguste Piccard became the first man to travel nearly 2,000km at 15,500m altitude in free ball. Here is the story of its ancestor story.

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Auguste Piccard was born on January 28, 1884 in Basel, Switzerland. Passionate about natural sciences since always, he published at 19 his New tests on geotropic sensitivity of the extremities of the roots. He then continued his studies as an engineer before becoming a professor of physics at the Faculty of Applied Sciences in Brussels in 1922. 

Stratosphere, new record and legion of honor

But Piccard seems passionate about the immensity of the stratosphere and the ocean funds. He will also be the first to use a pressurized aircraft in 1922. Then, in 1923, the engineer participated in the 12th Gordon Bennet Cup in Brussels aboard the Zürich. This cup is the oldest, best known and most international gas balloon races. 

Years are passing but Piccard's desire to reach the stratosphere keeps growing up. In 1926, he experienced Michelson-Morlay's experience and flocked at 4,500m above sea level. In 1929, he submitted an unprecedented project to the National Belgian Scientific Research Fund to explore the stratosphere aboard a gas ball. His request for funds is accepted, his tank filled with hydrogen takes shape. The following year, Piccard tried to fly aboard his brand new ball, but the weather is not conciliatory, the project must be postponed. 

He had to wait until May 27, 1931 to try the experience again. And it will not be easy: the balloon takes off faster than expected, the oxygen device breaks down, the cabin is no longer waterproof and loses its oxygen, the hydrogen valve is damaged and they must wait for the evening and the drop in temperatures to go down. Piccard and his teammate, Paul Kipfer, fall on earth after 5 p.m. flight. They sign a new record! The two men are the first living beings to have reached the stratosphere, at 15,781m above sea level. Auguste Piccard will receive the Legion of Honor and will be a commander of the Order of Léopold following this feat. 

In the air and under the sea, from father to son

But the tribulations of our engineer do not stop there. Piccard thirsty for adventure and now seeks to discover the depths of seabed. In 1945, he developed his first abysmal vessel, the Bathyscaphe. Three years later, his ship was launched for a first experiment. It won't go without a bit either. Piccard will go down the first time at -25m off Cape Verde before uninhabited water stations are envisaged, and for good reason! Several technical problems will force him to rethink the design of his Bathyscaphe.

Several years later, after numerous tests, new vessels and with the help of his son Jacques Piccard, they will make a record dive at -3 150m in 1953 then, they will establish a new world record, at the request of the United States, in 1960 by passing almost 10 a.m. to more than -10,000m deep. Piccard is 76 years old. 

The engineer will be emulated among his relatives. Indeed, his twin brother, Jean was aeronaut; His son, Jacques, will be Océanaute; And his grandson, Bertrand will also be aeronaut (he will also realize the first round of the world in balloon and he will develop and co-pilot the first solar impulse plane). To believe that is family!