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Solar Impulse plane starts bid to cross US | Solar Impulse plane starts bid to cross US |
(about 2 hours later) | |
A plane powered only by the Sun has set off from San Francisco on the first leg of a bid to cross the US with no fuel. | A plane powered only by the Sun has set off from San Francisco on the first leg of a bid to cross the US with no fuel. |
The Solar Impulse craft will stop in Phoenix, Dallas, St Louis, Washington DC and New York in the coming weeks. | The Solar Impulse craft will stop in Phoenix, Dallas, St Louis, Washington DC and New York in the coming weeks. |
The team's plane has the same wingspan as an Airbus A340 but weighs only as much as an average car. | The team's plane has the same wingspan as an Airbus A340 but weighs only as much as an average car. |
It has already made a day-and-night flight lasting more than 26 hours, and the team aims to eventually circumnavigate the globe in 2015. | It has already made a day-and-night flight lasting more than 26 hours, and the team aims to eventually circumnavigate the globe in 2015. |
The plane took off from Moffett Field on the edge of San Francisco Bay at 06:12 local time (13:12 GMT). It should take about 19 hours to complete the first leg of the American crossing to Phoenix. | The plane took off from Moffett Field on the edge of San Francisco Bay at 06:12 local time (13:12 GMT). It should take about 19 hours to complete the first leg of the American crossing to Phoenix. |
The craft's wings and stabiliser are covered with nearly 12,000 solar cells, which in daylight hours charge an array of lithium-ion batteries in gondolas that hang below the wing. | The craft's wings and stabiliser are covered with nearly 12,000 solar cells, which in daylight hours charge an array of lithium-ion batteries in gondolas that hang below the wing. |
Together, these provide power to the plane's four electric motors and allow flight in daylight and night conditions. | Together, these provide power to the plane's four electric motors and allow flight in daylight and night conditions. |
The HB-SIA craft is being piloted by Bertrand Piccard, a co-founder of the effort, who is perhaps best known for being the first person to circumnavigate the globe in a hot-air balloon, in 1999. | The HB-SIA craft is being piloted by Bertrand Piccard, a co-founder of the effort, who is perhaps best known for being the first person to circumnavigate the globe in a hot-air balloon, in 1999. |
The trans-America bid is the first attempt of its kind with a zero-fuel aircraft. | The trans-America bid is the first attempt of its kind with a zero-fuel aircraft. |
Together with co-founder and entrepreneur Andre Borschberg, the pair of Swiss pilots have racked up a number of world records and milestones in recent years. | Together with co-founder and entrepreneur Andre Borschberg, the pair of Swiss pilots have racked up a number of world records and milestones in recent years. |
The first night flight of a solar-powered craft in 2010 was followed by a first international flight in 2011, and first inter-continental flight in 2012. | The first night flight of a solar-powered craft in 2010 was followed by a first international flight in 2011, and first inter-continental flight in 2012. |
The two will share the job of flying the plane between each of the stops of the tour. | The two will share the job of flying the plane between each of the stops of the tour. |
Mr Borschberg said that the atmosphere was "extremely good" ahead of the launch. | |
"We've peen preparing for this flight since last summer, so we are all very excited," he told BBC News. | |
The current aircraft HB-SIA is effectively the prototype for the craft that will eventually be used for transoceanic flights and the round-the-world trip. The HB-SIB should be completed by the end of 2013. | |
"You should see this like being in 1915 when the pioneers were trying to do these first cross-country flights - still unable to cross the ocean, but an important step for the development of aviation," Mr Borschberg said. | |
The launch on Friday is to serve as the start of the pair's Clean Generation Initiative, an effort to encourage policy-makers and businesses to develop and adopt sustainable energy technologies. | The launch on Friday is to serve as the start of the pair's Clean Generation Initiative, an effort to encourage policy-makers and businesses to develop and adopt sustainable energy technologies. |
"We want to show that with clean technologies, a passionate team and a far-reaching pioneering vision, one can achieve the impossible," Dr Piccard said at the announcement of the mission in March. | "We want to show that with clean technologies, a passionate team and a far-reaching pioneering vision, one can achieve the impossible," Dr Piccard said at the announcement of the mission in March. |