Solar Impulse takes first step into aviation history

William Atkins
Friday, 04 December 2009 18:50

Science - Energy

The Solar Impulse solar-powered airplane is run with batteries, uses the Sun for power, and is only as heavy as a medium size car but as wide as a jet airplane. And, it just became the first piloted solar-powered airplane to take off under its own power. So, what's next?


The Solar Impulse took off at about 1211 Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) on Thursday, December 3, 2009.

It didn’t go very far on its first test flight—only about 350 meters (1,150 feet).

However, it now holds the title of the first solar-powered airplane to take off under its own power while being piloted by a human.

What's next?

The people behind the Solar Impulse Project hope to take the solar-powered airplane on a around-the-world trip, the first of its kind for a solar-powered airplane.

With about 400 kilograms comprising the mass of its batteries (about one-fourth of its total mass), the Solar Impulse soared only about one meter (three feet) from the ground and achieved a speed of about 37 kilometers (23 miles) per hour.

The photovoltaic cells take up about 200 square meters (2,150 square feet) of surface area on the wings. They take in sunlight during the day to generate electricity to power the craft.

And, the cells recharge during the day while the Sun shines so that sufficient electricity is available inside the lithium batteries at night when the Sun is below the horizon.

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