Albert Tissandier

He was the brother of adventurer Gaston Tissandier with whom he collaborated in writing the magazine La Nature, a French language scientific journal aimed at the popularization of science.

Though his brother was nominally the sole founder of La Nature, a scientific journal aimed at the popularization of science, Albert contributed extensively to the magazine, mostly as an illustrator and editor.

His devotion to aeronautics began on 8 November 1868, when he made his first hot air balloon ascent between Melun and Paris during a snowstorm.

On 14 October 1870, during the siege of Paris in the Franco-Prussian war, Albert Tissandier piloted the balloon Jean-Bart to escape the city, taking two other travellers plus 400 kg (1000 lb) of mail and dispatches from 100 anxious families.

Only a few days after this ascent, on 15 April at 11:35 AM, the Zénith went up again, this time with only Gaston Tissandier, Joseph Crocé-Spinelli and Théodore Sivel with the goal of reaching an extreme height in order to continue their observations.

In 1886, he started a long trip around the world in America, subsequently travelling to the East Indies, Ceylon and many other Asian locales, sending his magnificent illustrations back to Paris so they could appear in La Nature.