Solar impulse plane makes first maintenance flight in hawaii. Some 26 hours later, the prototype plane became the rst to stay airborne both day and night using no fuel and producing no emissions. Mar 30, 2015 solar impulse has set two world records for manned solar powered flight on the journey so far. Electricity may be supplied by a variety of methods including batteries, ground power cables, solar cells, ultracapacitors, fuel cells and power beaming. Solar impulse 2, the second aircraft by the solar impulse project is currently circumnavigating the globe. Next year, borschberg and project part ner bertrand piccard plan to fly the plane around the world, taking turns on. The plane, christened solar impulse 2 the first solar impulse was a prototype. Around the world in a solar plane the solar impulse solar. In 2016, solar impulse 2 was the first solar powered aircraft to complete circumnavigation of the world. Solar impulse is a swiss longrange experimental solarpowered aircraft project, and also the name of the projects two operational aircraft.
In 2010 solar impulse made the first night flight in the history of solar aviation, then in 2012 the plane flew across the mediterranean and currently in 20, is flying across america. Solar plane circles globe in first for clean energy. On board with solar impulse sinterlinetm benefits pictures courtesy of solar impulse lighting clips made with e2r solution f. Solar impulse 2, airplane powered by suns energy, lands. The aircraft called solar impulse 2 took off from abu dhabi, heading east to muscat in oman. Our challenge is to attempt the first roundtheworld solar flight in 2015. The purpose is to address sustainable challenges of today with the focus on the use of renewable energy. The solar impulse 2, which weighs roughly the same as a family car, contains 17,000 solar cells that power the aircrafts propellers. Introduction solkane 365 for polyurethane foams the design of the solar impulse cockpit must be lightweight and mechanically.
The solar impulse foundation will assess and label the solutions submitted by the world alliance members and bring support to members in the labelling process in order to help them being part of the solutions portfolio. Exploration to change an idea born in switzerland the. To start, solar impulse is testing its solar plane on a few short runs at low speeds without lifting off the ground. Innovation and technology are essential to achieve results. To avoid turbulence caused by thermals, the aircraft must take off and land early in the morning or late in the afternoon.
A recordbreaking attempt to fly around the world in a solarpowered plane has completed its first leg. Solar impulse brings together an entire family of partners who share the projects pioneering spirit, guarantee its feasibility and are committed to promoting renewable energies. Data has been collected for both the aircrafts for analysis. Jul 25, 2016 sunpowered solar impulse 2 plane completes record global flight. The official name of the aircraft is hb sib, while that of its predecessor was hb sia. Solar impulse is a solar powered airplane designed to fly around the world at any time day or night. Solar impulse 2 the plane had earlier secured a place in the record books by being the first plane to cross the atlantic from new yorks jfk airport to seville in spain, then also piloted by. Bertrand piccard a medical doctor, explorer and lecturer, achieved the first ever nonstop roundtheworld balloon flight. Jun 22, 2016 but the solar impulse 2, a long, thin plane that is powered completely through the use of solar panels, has shown another side of renewable energy. Anyone could choose to pay for one or more of the thousands of the solar cells on the plane. Solar impulse has set two world records for manned solarpowered flight on the journey so far. Solar impulse is the only airplane of perpetual endurance, able to fly day and night on solar power, without a drop of fuel.
Jun 06, 2016 the sunpowered solar impulse 2 plane will also fly around the statue of liberty. Solar impulse stayed in ahmedabad from 10th march 18th march 2015. In the wee hours of july 26, 2016, solar impulse 2 landed in abu dhabi to eager crowds and cameras. Solarpowered aircraft, solar impulse 2, completes trans. The surface area of solar impulse s panels is 200 m2.
Forget fossil fuel, this plane is driven by energy from the sun. Worlds first solar airplane, solar impulse, ready to fly. The second plane is designed for longdistance travel, reduced energy consumption and improved performance. It also is a strong symbol, demonstrating the power of mankinds collective ingenuity and whats possible when we apply our innovative and technical talents toward achieving the impossible. Sunpowered solar impulse 2 plane completes record global. Solar impulse 2 shows the possibilities, and limitations. Dec 04, 2009 solar impulse aircraft flies, briefly photos it didnt go very high or very far this time, but the prototype is designed eventually to fly night and day, and around the world. Fortunately, our dreamer bertrand piccard, has some experience in bold endeavours, being the first man to pilot a. Solarpowered aircraft, solar impulse 2, completes transpacific flight a plane, powered only by the sun, completes the 9th leg of a worldwide trip meant to bring attention to the promise of clean.
Solar impulse is a symbol and a communication platform to promote. The sunpowered plane solar impulse 2 has made a successful test flight in hawaii, where it has been grounded for repairs on its roundtheworld trek, the swissbased project said saturday. Assuming that energy is absorbed homogeneously across the surface of the earth mean terrestrial. Solar impulse hbsib, the upgraded second version of the solar airplane that will begin its world tour in early 2015 without using a single fuel drop. Sunpowered solar impulse 2 plane completes record global flight.
A look back at solar impulse 2s extraordinary roundthe. Jul 25, 2016 solar impulse 2 has completed the first roundtheworld flight by a solar powered aeroplane, after touching down in abu dhabi early on tuesday the final leg of the feat, aimed at showcasing the. Solar impulse 2 has completed the first roundtheworld flight by a solarpowered aeroplane, after touching down in abu dhabi early on tuesday the final leg of the feat, aimed at showcasing the. Apr 16, 2015 the solar impulse 2, the experimental plane attempting to fly around the world without using a drop of fuel, has been grounded by the weather in china.
We have come a long way from the first flight of a solar powered aircraft on november 4, 1974 3 to the latest example being the roundtheworld attempt by team solar impulse in. Si2s wings are 72 meters long and covered by 17,842 solar cells, allowing the. The solar impulse 2 airplane touched down early tuesday, completing its final leg of the first entirely. Around the world in a solar plane the solar impulse. The aircraft called solar impulse2 took off from abu dhabi, heading east to muscat in oman. Solar impulse unveils fuelfree plane for roundtheworld. The plane, solar impulse 2, touched down in the united. After 14 months of travel and 550 hours in the air, the plane had accomplished what many had. Due to his extensive experience as a pilot, he first took control of solar impulse and completed the first night flight using solar energy back in july 2010. Solar impulse aircraft flies, briefly photos it didnt go very high or very far this time, but the prototype is designed eventually to fly night and day, and around the world. Even with years of extensive flight experience, due to the dynamics of the plane, piccard and borschberg had to relearn flight tactics, piloting skills and aerodynamics virtually from scratch using a flight simulator developed specifically for solar impulse 2. Media in category solar impulse the following 34 files are in this category, out of 34 total. Solar plane circles globe in first for clean energy reuters.
The moment of truth the team of solar impulse 2 si2, the worlds first solarpowered airplane to fly around the world, is now preparing for its mission of an imminent. The first was for the longest distance covered on a single trip that of 1,468km between muscat. Pdf fly around the world with a solar powered airplane. To address environmental challenges while enabling economic growth, bertrand piccard has launched, through the solar impulse foundation, the challenge to select solutions, that can protect the environment in a profitable way and present them to decisionmakers to fasttrack their implementation. Dec 04, 2009 solar impulse the first plane designed to fly day and night without fuel, the solar impulse hbsia lifted off for its maiden flight on december 3 from its home at dubendorf airfield, near zurich. The solar impulse 2s wings, which stretch wider than those of a boeing 747, are equipped with 17,000 solar cells that power propellers and charge batteries. The solar impulse is designed as a singleseat longrange solar plane capable of remaining airborne for days.
Soon, solar impulse will begin cruising toward liftoff speed at 20 knots, taking short flea hop leaps into the air without leaving the perimeter of the runway. Solar impulse is particularly sensitive to turbulence and wind during takeoff and landing. Jan 06, 2010 a plane powered by solar energy that flies continuously, day and night, around the circumference of the world the solar impulse. Jun 21, 2015 solar impulse 2 is larger than a boeing 747 and lighter than a van.
Once the efficiency of the batteries makes it possible to reduce the weight, a twoseater is planned to make circumnavigation possible. We have come a long way from the first flight of a solar powered aircraft on november 4, 1974 3 to the latest example being the roundtheworld attempt by team solar impulse in a 72m wingspan. Mar 09, 2015 a recordbreaking attempt to fly around the world in a solar powered plane has completed its first leg. In 2012, the solar impulse plane performed intercontinental flight. However, the solar impulse 2 is now back in mission mode. Special report solar impulse in association with s oaring above an airbase in payerne, switzerland, one july morning in 2010, a solar powered aircraft was about to make history. Anthony woke up at the crack of dawn to watch the amazing solar impulse take to the sky. The sunpowered solar impulse 2 plane will also fly around the statue of liberty. Solar impulses partners all have a pioneering spirit, a longterm vision and a desire to explore new horizons.
Si2s wings are 72 meters long and covered by 17,842 solar cells, allowing the aircraft to fly day and night. In march 2015, solarpowered aircraft solar impulse 2 took on the mammoth task of a roundtheworld flight without a drop of fuel more than. On july 26, 2016, solar impulse 2, a zero fuel airplane that uses sunpower solar cells, set a world record for by becoming the first solar plane to fly around the world. Jun 15, 2015 the career of solar impulse 1, the current planes predecessor, almost ended in disaster in 20. Jul 26, 2016 pilots bertrand piccard and andre borschberg successfully landed the solar impulse 2 aircraft in abu dhabi on tuesday, after flying around the world using only the power of the sun. Solar impulse 2 shows the possibilities, and limitations, of. Various events have been organized around the plane such as government official visits, corporate hospitality, media briefings, university and school children visit and public visit. May 03, 20 forget fossil fuel, this plane is driven by energy from the sun.
But the solar impulse 2, a long, thin plane that is powered completely through the use of solar panels, has shown another side of renewable energy. The pioneers behind this extraordinary feat, betrand piccard and andre borschberg, are excited to share their story. The solar impulse 2 left southern spain on monday on its way to egypt for the penultimate leg of the solarpowered airplanes landmark roundtheworld journey. Solar impulse is the first airplane designed to fly on solar power, without any fuel or emissions. The solar impulse 2, the experimental plane attempting to fly around the world without using a drop of fuel, has been grounded by the weather in china. Boosting the adoption of profitable solutions to protect the environment. Back then, the first prototype, solar impulse 1 was under production. In 2016, solar impulse 2 was the first solarpowered aircraft to complete circumnavigation of the world. May 23, 2014 solar impulse 2, the first aircraft completely sustained by solar power to fly around the world, is set to take flight march 2015.
Fortunately, our dreamer bertrand piccard, has some experience in bold endeavours, being the first man to pilot a balloon nonstop around the world. Information the sun provides an average energy of 250wm2 over 24 hours. Due to battery damage from overheating, the roundtheworld journey was paused for repairs. May 22, 2016 the solar impulse 2, which weighs roughly the same as a family car, contains 17,000 solar cells that power the aircrafts propellers and charge batteries at night, it runs on stored energy. The privately financed project is led by swiss engineer and businessman andre borschberg and swiss psychiatrist and balloonist bertrand piccard, who copiloted breitling orbiter 3, the first balloon to circle the world nonstop. Solar cells from light to electricity solar impulse. Jan 31, 2018 in the wee hours of july 26, 2016, solar impulse 2 landed in abu dhabi to eager crowds and cameras. Pilots bertrand piccard and andre borschberg successfully landed the solar impulse 2 aircraft in abu dhabi on tuesday, after flying around the.
The solar impulse website would than display the name and picture if provided of the donors. Solar impulse 2 reaches hawaii, shatters records in historic pacific flight. Solar impulse 2 sets world record with sunpower solar. Because solar impulse 1, the first solar airplane we built, was more of a prototype, a flying laboratory used for testing in different flight situations and weather conditions, borschberg said. Exploration to change an idea born in switzerland the world. A plane powered by solar energy that flies continuously, day and night, around the circumference of the world the solar impulse.
On the 3rd of july 2015, solar impulse 2 landed in hawaii after having broken the record for flying nonstop for 5 days and 5 nights from japan. The fuelfree flight from nagoya to honolulus kalaeloa airport was the longest and riskiest leg of solar impulse 2s roundtheworld. An electric aircraft is an aircraft powered by electric motors. The moment of truth the team of solar impulse 2 si2, the worlds first solarpowered airplane to fly around the world, is now preparing for its mission of an imminent attempt and an aviation first. Flying around the world in a solar powered plane the. Circumnavigation of the globe is anticipated to take 2025 days. Inside the first solarpowered flight around the world. Solar impulse 2 landed in hawaii friday, ending its epic 5,9mile journey from japan after five days of solarpowered flight. Solar plane makes history after completing roundtheworld. To address environmental challenges while enabling economic growth, bertrand piccard has launched, through the solar impulse foundation, the challenge to select solutions, that can protect the environment in a profitable way and present them to decisionmakers to fasttrack their. A way for bertrand piccard, andre borschberg and their team to demonstrate how pioneering spirit. Apr 24, 2016 solarpowered aircraft, solar impulse 2, completes transpacific flight a plane, powered only by the sun, completes the 9th leg of a worldwide trip meant to bring attention to the promise of clean. Solar impulse 2 is larger than a boeing 747 and lighter than a van. The planes approximately 12,000 photovoltaic cells soak in the suns rays from 7 a.