Set in 1862 and inspired by true events, The Aeronauts follows wealthy young widow Amelia Wren (Jones) and headstrong scientist James Glaisher (Redmayne), as they mount a balloon expedition to fly higher than anyone before.

What time period does aeronauts take place?

Though "The Aeronauts," a new Amazon Prime movie about high-altitude ballooning, is fictional, it's attracting new people to this field of aviation, according to a curator at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. The film takes place in the 1860s, when ballooning was the only way people could get up that high.

Is the movie aeronauts accurate?

Amelia Wren is a fictional character inspired by women who did exist in the aeronautical world, Harper tells TIME. ... The fact that The Aeronauts is loosely based on reality, and draws on a number of different aeronautical expeditions, allowed Harper to create a character like Wren.

Who is Amelia Wren based on?

Amelia Wren, Redmayne's pilot in The Aeronauts, is a fictional character invented by screenwriter Jack Thorne. She is based on Henry Tracey Coxwell, who saved Glaisher's life after the meteorologist passed out on their record-breaking ascent into the sky.

What happened to Amelia Wren and James glaisher?

Sophie Blanchard died in 1819, at the age of 41, when James Glaisher was 10 years old. The story of Blanchard, unlike the story of Amelia Wren, ended sadly. “She actually fell to her death [because of] a firework that went into her balloon in Paris, and she fell,” Harper said.

The Aeronauts - Official Trailer

Were there any female aeronauts?

Soaring above France, Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier and the Marquis d'Arlandes were the first aeronauts to journey in a hot air balloon. ... In 1784, Madame Thible, a Frenchwoman, rose to new heights when she became the first female aeronaut. Across the Channel, Mrs. Sage followed suit in 1785.

What is the highest anyone has gone in a balloon?

Highest balloon flight

The highest man has flown in a hot air balloon is 68,986 feet which was achieved by Dr Vijaypat Singhania who flew over Mumbai in India in November 2005.

How high can butterflies fly aeronauts?

The Aeronauts shows butterflies at 19,400 feet

High winds, clouds, and thunder buffet the balloon, making for a wild ride for Glaisher and Wren.

Did Amelia Rennes and James Glaisher marry?

While aeronaut, meteorologist, and astronomer James Glaisher did exist, and did break the world balloon flight record, he didn't do so with partner-in-crime Amelia Wren.

Did Henry Coxwell climb the balloon?

(In the film, Coxwell is replaced by a fictional aeronaut named Amelia Wren.) In 1862, Glaisher and Coxwell ascended to 37,000 feet in a balloon – 8,000 feet higher than the summit of Mount Everest, and, at the time, the highest point in the atmosphere humans had ever reached.

Is James glaisher a real person?

James Glaisher FRS (7 April 1809 – 7 February 1903) was an English meteorologist, aeronaut and astronomer.

What does a aeronaut do?

An aeronaut is someone who flies an aircraft: a pilot. Originally, an aeronaut was specifically someone who flew a balloon.

Is the movie the aeronauts on Netflix?

Netflix is probably the most popular streaming platform in the world and has an inexplicably vast collection of movies, both original and sourced from around the world. However, owing to the fact that 'The Aeronauts' is still playing in the theaters, this is a film you will not be able to watch on Netflix.

Is balloon a true story?

A glimpse of the movie “Balloon.” ... Based on a true story of a hot-air balloon escape from East Germany so celebrated back in the day that Disney starred John Hurt and Beau Bridges in an 1982 English-language version called “Night Crossing.” “Balloon” is none the worse for wear the second time around.

What book is aeronauts based on?

The Aeronauts is a 2019 semi-biographical adventure film directed by Tom Harper and written by Jack Thorne, from a story co-written by Thorne and Harper. The film is based on the 2013 book Falling Upwards: How We Took to the Air by Richard Holmes.

Was Amelia Rennes a real person?

Did Amelia Rennes exist? While Rennes plays an integral part in the film, she is in fact a fictional character, something of a composite character based on a number of real life figures.

What insect can fly the highest?

In 2008, a colony of bumble bees was discovered on Mount Everest at more than 5,600 metres (18,400 ft) above sea level, the highest known altitude for an insect. In subsequent tests some of the bees were still able to fly in a flight chamber which recreated the thinner air of 9,000 metres (30,000 ft).

Can a butterflies fly higher than a bird?

While the highest altitude a bird has been recorded flying is 11,278 meters (37,000 feet), some insects have also been seen flying at surprisingly high altitudes. Some flies and butterflies have been seen flying at 6,000 meters (19,685 feet).

What's the highest commercial planes fly?

Most commercial aircraft are approved to fly at a maximum of around 42,000 feet. This maximum is also known as a 'service ceiling. ' For example, for the double-decker Airbus A380 'superjumbo' quadjet, this ceiling is 43,000 feet. Meanwhile, for the Boeing 787-8 and -9 'Dreamliner,' it is 43,100 feet.

What is the longest hot air balloon flight?

American millionaire Steve Fossett flies around the world in a helium/hot air balloon, Spirit of Freedom, on his sixth attempt. He flies for 13 days, 34,000 km (22,100 mi). It is the longest ever solo balloon flight.

What is the best time of year to go hot air ballooning?

Most balloon flights take place between April and October. You can fly in winter, but the weather is likely to be worse. The best weather for hot air balloon flying is blue skies, light winds, and little or no rain. Strong winds and heavy rain make it too dangerous to fly, and pilots will not take risks.

What was Sophie Blanchard's life like?

Variously described as Blanchard's "small, ugly, nervous wife", "small with sharp bird-like features" and later as "small and beautiful", Sophie was more at home in the sky than on the ground, where her nervous disposition meant she was easily startled.