This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-22369680
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 2 | Version 3 |
---|---|
Solar Impulse plane lands in Phoenix | Solar Impulse plane lands in Phoenix |
(2 months later) | |
A plane powered only by the Sun has completed the first leg of a journey that aims to cross the US. | A plane powered only by the Sun has completed the first leg of a journey that aims to cross the US. |
Solar Impulse, as the vehicle is known, took off at dawn from San Francisco, California, on Friday and landed in Phoenix, Arizona, some 18 hours later. | Solar Impulse, as the vehicle is known, took off at dawn from San Francisco, California, on Friday and landed in Phoenix, Arizona, some 18 hours later. |
The craft will stop over in Dallas, St Louis, Washington DC and New York in the coming weeks. | The craft will stop over in Dallas, St Louis, Washington DC and New York in the coming weeks. |
The plane has the same wingspan as an Airbus A340 but it weighs just 1.6 tonnes. | The plane has the same wingspan as an Airbus A340 but it weighs just 1.6 tonnes. |
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) on Friday, and landed at Phoenix's Sky Harbor Airport at 00:30 local time (07:30 GMT) on Saturday. | The plane took off from Moffett Field on the edge of San Francisco Bay at 06:12 local time (13:12 GMT) on Friday, and landed at Phoenix's Sky Harbor Airport at 00:30 local time (07:30 GMT) on Saturday. |
This meant Solar Impulse spent several hours flying in darkness, relying solely on the energy stored in an array of lithium-ion batteries to drive its propellers. | This meant Solar Impulse spent several hours flying in darkness, relying solely on the energy stored in an array of lithium-ion batteries to drive its propellers. |
In daylight hours, these are charged by nearly 12,000 solar cells that cover the craft's wings and stabiliser. | In daylight hours, these are charged by nearly 12,000 solar cells that cover the craft's wings and stabiliser. |
The HB-SIA craft was 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 was 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 - flying in the hours of daylight and in darkness - 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 inter-continental flight in 2012. | |
The two pilots will share the job of flying the plane between each of the stops of the tour. | |
"We've been preparing for this flight since last summer, so we are all very excited," Mr Borschberg told BBC News. | "We've been preparing for this flight since last summer, so we are all very excited," Mr Borschberg told BBC News. |
The current aircraft HB-SIA is effectively the prototype for the craft that will eventually be used for a 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. | "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 served 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 served 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. |