Jet Pack

flying · invention · 1960s

Wearable flying machine. A jet pack is a backpack you wear on your back that shoots out powerful jets of air or fuel to push you up and through the sky, turning a person into a human airplane.

Long science fiction dream. People have imagined flying backpacks in stories and movies for almost 100 years before anyone actually made one that worked.

Real first versions. In the 1960s, inventors finally built the first actual jet packs that really flew, showing the world that this wild dream could become real.

Tricky to control. Jet packs are incredibly hard to balance and steer because the powerful jets pushing you around make it easy to spin or lose control.

Amazing but rare. Even though jet packs are real, they use a lot of fuel, can only fly for a few minutes, and are too dangerous and expensive for everyday people to use.