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Another strange polar explorer: Salomon Andrée 1897


Famous picture of Andrée's balloon wreck
https://gamesandtehories.blogspot.com/

Kimmo Huosionmaa

Another very well known polar expedition was made by Salomon Andrée or S.A Andrée (1854-1897)  in 1897, and that trip was fatal for him and his two mates. The expedition seems very interesting because when Andrée left for his final journey, he used the hydrogen balloon, what was made of rubber. That means the balloon couldn't be fixed if something made the hole on it. And because the balloon was made of rubber, the refilling with hot air was impossible.


There is the fatal design error in that balloon. If the air sailor wanted to use hydrogen balloon, should the rubber balloon put in the canvas balloon, what would make the trip safer. The problem with hydrogen balloon is, that it can raise very high, and be trimming the altitude must the hydrogen released from rubber balloon.


And in the case of Andrée, this gas must be replaced by something. If the hydrogen balloon would rise too high, the crew would be lost conscious, or even get the brain damage. If the hydrogen balloon would put in the canvas balloon, the last one could be filled with hot air, and that would help those persons fly away from the North Pole if they would get the fuel for fire from somewhere. Another way to solve the problem of return would be solved by carrying another rubber balloon and the hydrogen bottle with the balloon.


The backup bottle would be put to hang on the top of the wire under the balloon, that the explosion would not harm the balloon. But the use of hydrogen is not the best way in this kind of trips. If Andrée would use hot air balloon, the fuel for the fire could get from anywhere, where is burning material. Even bryophytes and lichen could be used for fire, that would raise the balloon to air.


And the hot air balloon would be fixed easier. The problem with hydrogen would be that if the backup bottle would be damaged the gas would flee away or explode with very high power. The name Andrée is also very interesting. Did he change it? Andrée seems like the first name and did that man hide his real identity? But that could also be like that he had an unusual family name.



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S._A._Andr%C3%A9e%27s_Arctic_Balloon_Expedition_of_1897

Picture I

https://varldenshistoria.se/utforskning/upptacktsresor/pa-katastrofkurs-mot-nordpolen

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