The 300th anniversary of the airship Passarola falls within IYA2009
8 August 2009
One of the many important anniversaries being celebrated during IYA2009 is the flight of the balloon ship Passarola in 8 August 1709.
Designed and made by Portuguese priest and naturalist Bartolomeu de Gusmão, it was truly revolutionary. His idea was to spread a sail over a machine's body, and then utilising the wind, or bellows on calm days, travel through the air. After several tests, there are reports that Gusmão travelled in 1km in the Passarola, sailing over Lisbon. Although many suggest that the "flight" was more a controlled fall, it was undoubtedly an inspirational feat using a man-made contraption.
Indeed, by some definitions Gusmão was the first man to fly, which makes the Passarola the origin of air transportation, and so by extrapolation space exploration. All in all, an important event to commemorate during IYA2009!
More information about the celebrations in Portugal: http://www.festivaldosoceanos.lpmcom.pt/index.php?option=com_eventlist&Itemid=93&func=details&did=9
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