7 July 2010
Solar Impulse, took off from the Payerne airbase in Switzerland this morning at the beginning of what is planned to be the first 24 hour flight by a solar-powered aircraft. With André Borscherg, CEO and co-founder of the Solar Impulse project, at the controls, the aircraft is due to slowly ascend to an altitude of 8,500m, while at the same time charging its batteries in preparation for the night flight. When the sun’s rays stop being strong enough to supply the solar cells (about two hours before sunset) with energy, the HB-SIA will start a slow descent, reaching an altitude of around 1,500 metres by 23:00. It should then carry on flying, using the energy stored in its batteries, until the next sunrise. The big question is whether the pilot can make efficient use of the battery energy to fly throughout the night. If this mission is successful, it will be the longest and highest flight ever made by a solar plane. <a href=”http://www.solarimpulse.com”>Click here for more</a>
