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| Solar Impulse sets off for California after long lay-off | Solar Impulse sets off for California after long lay-off |
| (about 13 hours later) | |
| The zero-fuel aeroplane, Solar Impulse, has renewed its effort to try to circumnavigate the globe. | The zero-fuel aeroplane, Solar Impulse, has renewed its effort to try to circumnavigate the globe. |
| The 72m-wingspan vehicle set off from Kalaeloa, Hawaii, at shortly after dawn local time, bound for San Francisco. | The 72m-wingspan vehicle set off from Kalaeloa, Hawaii, at shortly after dawn local time, bound for San Francisco. |
| Swiss adventurer Bertrand Piccard is at the controls and expects the flight to take two-and-a-half days. | Swiss adventurer Bertrand Piccard is at the controls and expects the flight to take two-and-a-half days. |
| Solar Impulse gets all its energy from the sun - through the 17,000 photovoltaic cells that cover the top surfaces of the craft. | Solar Impulse gets all its energy from the sun - through the 17,000 photovoltaic cells that cover the top surfaces of the craft. |
| These power propellers during the day, but also charge batteries that the vehicle's motors can then call on during the night. | These power propellers during the day, but also charge batteries that the vehicle's motors can then call on during the night. |
| A high pressure zone has opened up, providing favourable winds that will take Piccard towards California and the famous Moffet Airfield. | A high pressure zone has opened up, providing favourable winds that will take Piccard towards California and the famous Moffet Airfield. |
| His slow-moving, light-weight craft should arrive on Saturday evening. | His slow-moving, light-weight craft should arrive on Saturday evening. |
| "The flight will last about 62 hours, but this is plus or minus three or four hours," said flight director Raymond Clerc, who oversees the mission with a group of engineers based in Monaco. | "The flight will last about 62 hours, but this is plus or minus three or four hours," said flight director Raymond Clerc, who oversees the mission with a group of engineers based in Monaco. |
| "The distance is 4,000km, 2,200 nautical miles, and we are very happy to have this window so early in the season." | "The distance is 4,000km, 2,200 nautical miles, and we are very happy to have this window so early in the season." |
| Solar Impulse made aviation history with its exploits last year. | Solar Impulse made aviation history with its exploits last year. |
| Starting in Abu Dhabi, UAE, in March, it crossed Oman, India, Myanmar, and China. | Starting in Abu Dhabi, UAE, in March, it crossed Oman, India, Myanmar, and China. |
| It then flew to Japan, before undertaking a 8,924km passage to Hawaii. | It then flew to Japan, before undertaking a 8,924km passage to Hawaii. |
| This five-day, five-night crossing set a record for the longest ever non-stop solo aeroplane journey. | This five-day, five-night crossing set a record for the longest ever non-stop solo aeroplane journey. |
| But the vehicle's batteries overheated during the trip, forcing the project to lay over on the Pacific archipelago while repairs were conducted. | But the vehicle's batteries overheated during the trip, forcing the project to lay over on the Pacific archipelago while repairs were conducted. |
| A further 20m euros (£16m; $23m) had to be raised from supporters during the winter to keep the project going for another year. | A further 20m euros (£16m; $23m) had to be raised from supporters during the winter to keep the project going for another year. |
| Bertrand Piccard said that was made easier by having a "proven product". | Bertrand Piccard said that was made easier by having a "proven product". |
| "We've learnt… that we can achieve the impossible. We can set goals that everyone considers are impossible, and with the dedication of a team, with creativity, with pioneering spirit - we can achieve it; despite all the specialists who are telling us that we could never do it." | "We've learnt… that we can achieve the impossible. We can set goals that everyone considers are impossible, and with the dedication of a team, with creativity, with pioneering spirit - we can achieve it; despite all the specialists who are telling us that we could never do it." |
| Piccard shares flying duties with his business partner, Andre Borschberg. | Piccard shares flying duties with his business partner, Andre Borschberg. |
| It was Borschberg who flew into Kalaeloa last July, and he will next take the controls once the plane has arrived in the US mainland. | It was Borschberg who flew into Kalaeloa last July, and he will next take the controls once the plane has arrived in the US mainland. |
| The pair's intention is to get to New York by the start of June, to begin preparations for an Atlantic crossing. | The pair's intention is to get to New York by the start of June, to begin preparations for an Atlantic crossing. |
| Assuming this is completed successfully, it should then be a relatively straightforward run back to the "finish line" in Abu Dhabi. | Assuming this is completed successfully, it should then be a relatively straightforward run back to the "finish line" in Abu Dhabi. |
| Piccard and Borschberg have been working on the Solar Impulse project for more than a decade. | Piccard and Borschberg have been working on the Solar Impulse project for more than a decade. |
| They first trialled a smaller plane, taking it on a trans-America crossing in 2011. | They first trialled a smaller plane, taking it on a trans-America crossing in 2011. |
| The version of the vehicle they currently fly is considerably bigger. | The version of the vehicle they currently fly is considerably bigger. |
| Its wingspan is wider than a 747 jumbo jet, and, yet, it weighs only 2.3 tonnes. | Its wingspan is wider than a 747 jumbo jet, and, yet, it weighs only 2.3 tonnes. |
| 'Living creation' | 'Living creation' |
| Because the prop-driven craft moves so slowly, mission legs can take several days and nights of continuous flight. | Because the prop-driven craft moves so slowly, mission legs can take several days and nights of continuous flight. |
| This means Piccard and Borschberg - whoever is at the controls - have to stay alert for nearly all of the time they are airborne. | This means Piccard and Borschberg - whoever is at the controls - have to stay alert for nearly all of the time they are airborne. |
| They are permitted only catnaps of up to 20 minutes - in the same way a single-handed, round-the-world yachtsman would catch small periods of sleep. | They are permitted only catnaps of up to 20 minutes - in the same way a single-handed, round-the-world yachtsman would catch small periods of sleep. |
| They also have to endure the physical discomfort of being confined in a cockpit that measures just 3.8 cubic metres in volume - not a lot bigger than a public telephone box. | They also have to endure the physical discomfort of being confined in a cockpit that measures just 3.8 cubic metres in volume - not a lot bigger than a public telephone box. |
| But Borschberg says the experience so far has been exhilarating. | But Borschberg says the experience so far has been exhilarating. |
| "An experimental plane is a living creation," he told BBC News. | "An experimental plane is a living creation," he told BBC News. |
| "Each flight you do brings new learning that you can use to improve the quality, reliability and performance of the aeroplane." | "Each flight you do brings new learning that you can use to improve the quality, reliability and performance of the aeroplane." |
| LEG 1: 9 March. Abu Dhabi (UAE) to Muscat (Oman) - 772km; 13 Hours 1 Minute | |
| LEG 2: 10 March. Muscat (Oman) to Ahmedabad (India) - 1,593km; 15 Hours 20 Minutes | LEG 2: 10 March. Muscat (Oman) to Ahmedabad (India) - 1,593km; 15 Hours 20 Minutes |
| LEG 3: 18 March. Ahmedabad (India) to Varanasi (India) - 1,170km; 13 Hours 15 Minutes | LEG 3: 18 March. Ahmedabad (India) to Varanasi (India) - 1,170km; 13 Hours 15 Minutes |
| LEG 4: 18 March. Varanasi (India) to Mandalay (Myanmar) - 1,536km; 13 Hours 29 Minutes | LEG 4: 18 March. Varanasi (India) to Mandalay (Myanmar) - 1,536km; 13 Hours 29 Minutes |
| LEG 5: 29 March. Mandalay (Myanmar) to Chongqing (China) - 1,636km; 20 Hours 29 Minutes | LEG 5: 29 March. Mandalay (Myanmar) to Chongqing (China) - 1,636km; 20 Hours 29 Minutes |
| LEG 6: 21 April. Chongqing (China) to Nanjing (China) - 1,384km; 17 Hours 22 Minutes | LEG 6: 21 April. Chongqing (China) to Nanjing (China) - 1,384km; 17 Hours 22 Minutes |
| LEG 7: 30 May. Nanjing (China) to Nagoya (Japan) - 2,942km; 1 Day 20 Hours 9 Minutes | LEG 7: 30 May. Nanjing (China) to Nagoya (Japan) - 2,942km; 1 Day 20 Hours 9 Minutes |
| LEG 8: 28 June. Nagoya (Japan) to Kalaeloa, Hawaii (USA) - 8,924km; 4 Days 21 Hours 52 Minutes | LEG 8: 28 June. Nagoya (Japan) to Kalaeloa, Hawaii (USA) - 8,924km; 4 Days 21 Hours 52 Minutes |
| Jonathan.Amos-INTERNET@bbc.co.uk and follow me on Twitter: @BBCAmos | Jonathan.Amos-INTERNET@bbc.co.uk and follow me on Twitter: @BBCAmos |