Solar Impulse

First solar-powered aircraft to fly around the world

Early next year, Switzerland-based Solar Impulse, world’s first day and night-abled solar-powered aircraft, is all set to visit India in April 2015. The aircraft would enter the Indian air space from the West and land at an Indian airport. The aircraft will make another halt at an airport on the east coast and then fly to Myanmar. The two airports are yet to be finalised.

It is for the first time in history that an airplane has succeeded in flying night and day without fuel, powered by only solar energy. Launched by Bertrand Piccard and Borschberg, record-breaking flights across Europe, the Mediterranean Sea and the US brought worldwide attention to the Solar Impulse endeavour, proving the enormous potential of clean technologies. In its quest for the ultimate in technological innovation, Solar Impulse has set out to attempt what still seems impossible today—round-the world flight powered by the Sun.

Borschberg said the aircraft to be unveiled in a few months from now weighs around 2,740 kg, will be powered by 12,000 solar cells and can fly at the speed of 70 km per hour. The aircraft will be powered by solar cells as thin as a hair. Solar Impulse solar cells are only 135 microns thin, like an average human hair. Around 144 ribs have been carefully placed at 50 cm intervals by the company engineers. The upper surface of the wings of the aircraft is made of solar panels and the lower part with an ultra-light fabric. The wing spar is entirely made of carbon fibre honeycomb sandwich panels.

The around-the-world journey will take three months, with the total flight time being 20-25 days—and nights. The longest non-stop flight of five days and five nights will be across the Pacific Ocean. The goal is to make an aircraft which has unlimited endurance. It is a human challenge also besides making the aircraft which is very efficient in energy and energy savings.