<P> A hot air balloon is a lighter - than - air aircraft consisting of a bag, called an envelope, which contains heated air . Suspended beneath is a gondola or wicker basket (in some long - distance or high - altitude balloons, a capsule), which carries passengers and a source of heat, in most cases an open flame caused by burning liquid propane . The heated air inside the envelope makes it buoyant since it has a lower density than the colder air outside the envelope . As with all aircraft, hot air balloons cannot fly beyond the atmosphere . Unlike gas balloons, the envelope does not have to be sealed at the bottom, since the air near the bottom of the envelope is at the same pressure as the surrounding air . In modern sport balloons the envelope is generally made from nylon fabric and the inlet of the balloon (closest to the burner flame) is made from a fire resistant material such as Nomex . Modern balloons have been made in all kinds of shapes, such as rocket ships and the shapes of various commercial products, though the traditional shape is used for most non-commercial, and many commercial, applications . </P> <P> The hot air balloon is the first successful human - carrying flight technology . The first untethered manned hot air balloon flight was performed by Jean - François Pilâtre de Rozier and François Laurent d'Arlandes on November 21, 1783, in Paris, France, in a balloon created by the Montgolfier brothers . The first hot - air balloon flown in the Americas was launched from the Walnut Street Jail in Philadelphia on January 9, 1793 by the French aeronaut Jean Pierre Blanchard . Hot air balloons that can be propelled through the air rather than simply drifting with the wind are known as thermal airships . </P> <P> Early unmanned hot air balloons were used in China . Zhuge Liang of the Shu Han kingdom, during the Three Kingdoms era (220--280 AD), used airborne lanterns for military signaling . These lanterns are known Chinese lanterns (simplified Chinese: 孔明灯; traditional Chinese: 孔明燈). </P> <P> In the 18th century the Brazilian Jesuit priest Bartolomeu de Gusmão envisioned an aerial apparatus called Passarola which was the predecessor of the hot air ballon . The purpose of Passarola was to serve as air vessel in order to facilitate communication and as a strategical device . In 1709 John V of Portugal decided to fund Bartolomeu de Gusmão's project following a petition made by the jesuit priest and an unmanned demonstration was performed at Casa da India in presence of John V, the queen Maria Anna of Austria, having as witnesses the Italian cardinal Michelangelo Conti, two members of the Portuguese Royal Academy of History, one Portuguese diplomat and one chronicler . This event would bring some European attention to this event and this project . A later article dated on October 20, 1786 by the London Daily Universal Register would state that the inventor was able to raise himself by the use of his prototype . Also in 1709, the Portuguese jesuit wrote Manifesto summário para os que ignoram poderse navegar pelo elemento do ar (Short Manifesto for those who are unaware that is possible to sail through the element air). Persecuted by the Inquisition he was prevented to continue his research, however, he left designs of a manned air vessel . </P>

When was the first hot air ballon made
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