Science

Science

Around the world in a solar-powered plane A Swiss adventurer said his first flight using a prototype of a solar-powered plane he will try to fly around the world in was successful.

The short, low altitude flight at a Swiss airfield Thursday proved the prototype can fly, said adventurer Bertrand Piccard, pilot of the first hot-air balloon to fly nonstop around the world.

"It was absolutely great to see this plane in the air," Piccard told The Associated Press. "It's a completely new flight domain. There has never been an airplane so big and so light flying with so little energy."

The "Solar Impulse," which has a wingspan of a Boeing 747 but weighs less than a small car, flew 1,150 feet (350 meters) at just one meter above the ground, Piccard said.

"The goal was not to make a big flight, but to see if this airplane is behaving the way the engineers designed it," he said. "And the result was excellent.

"On the other hand, we see how long the road is still before we fly around the world with it," Piccard said.

Solar panels will be attached next year for the first flight at night powered by solar energy, followed by a series of other tests, he said.

Piccard and co-pilot Andre Borschberg will alternate in the cockpit when they try to take the plane around the world in 2012.

Piccard set a world record in 1999 when he and Brian Jones of Britain took their balloon, Breitling Orbiter III, on a 20-day circumnavigation of the globe — an achievement that had eluded many before them, including tycoons Steve Fossett and Richard Branson.

- Posted on December 4, 2009
Submitted by yokazaki on Wednesday, 03/10/2010 - 11:39.

I really think it is important to study about less-energied plane. I think it is very good thing if we got able to fly by that plane.

Submitted by Esther124 on Tuesday, 03/09/2010 - 09:07.

This is a cool idea, but if they could only get the plane 1meter off the ground, they have a very long road ahead of them if they want to fly around the world. There might not even be that much sun in some places to power the solar panels. (^_^)

Submitted by dylan123 on Tuesday, 03/09/2010 - 08:39.

In this article a guy trys to travel around the world in a solar powered plane. How is that possible I mean solar means sun and there's not that much sun in some places. I wonder if he will make it? How much food did he bring? Is there any motor in it for night or just in case the sun isn't out that day?

Submitted by LanceL98 on Monday, 03/08/2010 - 18:09.

i am happy that people are going green in science. This one invention is a huge leap forward in science and will make a much healthier future for the planet Earth.

Submitted by StevenL on Monday, 03/08/2010 - 15:59.

I wish i could go in a solar powered plane. I am not the biggest fan of planes and knowing that we could never run out of gas that would just be one less thing for me to worry about. Also flight tickets will become less expensive because you will not need to fill the plane up with expensive gas.

Submitted by Bumblebee on Monday, 03/08/2010 - 09:53.

Around the world with a solrar powered plane. what would happen if there were clouds. where would the plane get its power. but the thing is with this kind of stuff is that probly 10 percent of the plane was fuled by sun the rest gas. so just because some of the plane but almost none was solarer powered oh my god its a solar powered plane. No Its Not