Louis Montgolfier

Louis Montgolfier was a French inventor and paper manufacturer, best known for co-developing the hot air balloon in the late 18th century. Along with his brother, Jean-François Montgolfier, he experimented with how heated air could make objects hover. Their successful flight in 1783 marked the first manned ascent in a balloon, opening the era of human flight. The Montgolfier brothers' invention utilized a large, heated fabric envelope to lift a passenger or object, laying the groundwork for modern aviation.