Solar-Powered Plane Debuts

The aircraft made its maiden voyage Wednesday in Switzerland, as a team of engineers and adventurers marked an important step in a $93.5 million project to build the first aircraft capable of circumnavigating the globe without a drop of fuel. The plane itself, Solar Impulse, is an unwieldy beast. Wings as wide as those on a 747 are decked out with solar panels to provide enough power to keep the 3,500-pound craft cruising at about 44 mph. Test pilot Markus Scherdel managed to take the aircraft almost a mile above the Swiss countryside, executing simple turns during the 90-minute flight before making a successful landing.

Comments (0)

This post does not have any comments. Be the first to leave a comment below.


Post A Comment

You must be logged in before you can post a comment. Login now.

Featured Product

Raptor Maps - The integrated operating system for end-to-end solar management

Raptor Maps - The integrated operating system for end-to-end solar management

Proven to prevent revenue loss, improve asset resilience, and boost energy yield. Power your asset managers, field teams, performance engineers, plant managers, and control rooms with the insights they need to operate your assets at peak efficiency and ensure long-term health of your sites.