Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg launched Solar Impulse 2 today in Switzerland.
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“A vision counts for nothing unless it is backed up by action. With 8 world records for Solar Impulse 1, the first solar aircraft capable of flying during the night, crossing two continents and flying over the United States, we have shown that clean technologies and renewable energies can accomplish the impossible,” said a delighted Bertrand Piccard, founder and Chairman of Solar Impulse.
“Now we need to go even further,” added André Borschberg, co-founder and CEO. “Solar Impulse 2 will have virtually unlimited autonomy, and now we need to make sure the pilot is as sustainable as his aircraft. This is why the round-the-world flight will be as much a human as a technological feat.”
Solar Impulse 2 Facts
- single-seater aircraft made of carbon fiber
- has a 72 meter wingspan (larger than that of the Boeing 747-8I)
- weight of just 2,300 Kg, equivalent to that of a car.
- 17,000 solar cells built into the wing
- supply four electric motors (17.5 CV each)
- solar cells recharge lithium batteries weighing 633 Kg (2077 lbs.)
© World Team Now (WTN) 2014. All rights reserved.