AEROCENE

Aerocene is an interdisciplinary community that brings together diverse artists, activists, geographers, philosophers, speculative scientists, balloonists, technologists, thinkers, and dreamers from around the world for collective performances towards eco-social justice. Its members seek to devise collaborative modes of ecological sensitivity increasing public awareness of global resource circulation, and reactivating a common imaginary towards an ethical collaboration with the environment and the atmosphere. Through a DIT (Do-It-Together) and open-source ethos, the community attempts to overcome abusive extractive practices, like oil, gas, and lithium mining among many others, that some humans have imposed on landscapes, ecosystems, communities, and other species. The group’s ever-evolving practice manifests in myriad ways, including the testing and circulation of aerosolar sculptures that become buoyant with nothing but the heat of the sun and infrared radiation from Earth’s surface—free from fossil fuels, batteries, lithium, solar panels, helium, and hydrogen. To build and float with an aerosolar sculpture is to engage participants in practices of thinking-through-making and collaborative action, triggering imagination and creativity, and spreading knowledge through a multidisciplinary approach that can extend into other fields of socio-environmental activism.⁠ Active in 126 cities, 43 countries and 6 continents, the Aerocene community has activated artistic environmental projects and floated over 8,000 minutes in the air, free from carbon, for climate justice. Find the Aerocene community’s Timeline and learn more on Aerocene.org

The records to be attempted cover the Female and General categories for balloon classes AT- 11 through AT-15 in distance, duration and altitude. In the case of altitude, it will mean the first such flight ever to attempt a FAI recognized World Record.

This will be the second occasion in the history of aviation that invokes FAI’s Ballooning Category AT: “free balloons which obtain buoyancy as a result of heating air using solar and/or external radiation sources”.

The World Record Attempt observers will be Mr. Corentin Ragot, professional balloon pilot from Maintenon, and Benoit Pelard, Delegate CIA for the French Balloon Federation.

In 2020, the flight of Aerocene Pacha inaugurated FAI’s AT Category in Salinas Grandes, Argentina, heralding the most sustainable flight in the history of aviation. These flights, their pilot, Leticia Marques, and the team of the international Aerocene Community, were awarded 32 World Records by FAI.

Three years later, the human flight in France will be the first time in history that solar ballooning World Records are attempted in Europe.

The records to be attempted cover the Female and General categories for balloon classes AT- 11 through AT-15 in distance, duration and altitude. In the case of altitude, it will mean the first such flight ever to attempt a FAI recognized World Record.

This will be the second occasion in the history of aviation that invokes FAI’s Ballooning Category AT: “free balloons which obtain buoyancy as a result of heating air using solar and/or external radiation sources”.

In 2020, the flight of Aerocene Pacha inaugurated FAI’s AT Category in Salinas Grandes, Argentina, heralding the most sustainable flight in the history of aviation. These flights, their pilot, Leticia Marques, and the team of the international Aerocene Community, were awarded 32 World Records by FAI.

Three years later, the human flight in France will be the first time in history that solar ballooning World Records are attempted in Europe.

Aerocene is able to float for much longer than a balloon fuelled by propane, which due to the weight of the propane can normally only travel for an hour. Moving only with the heat of the sun – an unlimited source of lifting potential – Aerocene can theoretically float from dawn till dusk, approximately 8-15 hours, depending on the season, location and weather. This project will allow the Aerocene Community to understand more about this capacity. Use the Aerocene App or Float Predictor to learn more and test a potential day or day-night journey using only solar power.

No. Aerocene during its flight creates no carbon emissions because it uses only the energy of the sun above us and the air we breathe. By comparison, an average-sized hot air balloon (2,200 m3) will use about 136 litres of liquid propane gas in a one hour flight. This is equivalent to 207 kgCO2e (at 1.522 kgCO2/l) or the equivalent carbon emissions of driving an average car 1,250 km. Source: Julie’s Bicycle, London.

Aerocene moves with the rhythms of the planet, meaning the distance and speed is dependent on the level of solar energy, wind speeds and weather. For this flight we will fly up to  25-30 km per hour for as long the sun and the weather condition are favourable. However, Aerocene is not focused on speed or the usual aims of mobility – faster, further, quicker. Rather, the community focuses on understanding the patience and relationship to the elements we need to drift and move in a way which ethically collaborates with Earth’s abundance of energy. Learn more with the Aerocene App or Float Predictor.

The weather will decide!

Yes, Aerocene is both a flying sculpture and a fully certified balloon aircraft built to all regulations, following all annual controls and insured. The pilot is a trained, licenced balloonist. Should the valve used to descend or the sandbags used to ascend fail, we carry a propane burner to use in case of emergency.