The world’s first solar-powered plane took off from Moffett Field in Mountain View, California — the home of NASA’s Ames Research Center – and flew across the US to New York.
It carries one pilot and zero passengers. Solar Impulse flew across America in stages from San Francisco to Washington D.C. and New York City. The ambitious aircraft incorporates advanced solar and battery technologies that enable it to fly both day and night.By 2015, the Solar Impulse team hope to fly a similar aircraft around the world. The HB-SIA has 12,000 solar cells built into its 64.3M wings (longer than an entire Boeing 747 jet) yet weighs less than a car at 1,600KG.
The Solar Impulse team wish to spread Solar Impulse’s message to inspire people. The team said…“Only by challenging common certitudes can there be change and, through conferences on educational themes, Solar Impulse wishes to motivate everybody to become a pioneer in the search for innovative solutions for society’s biggest challenges”.
You can check on the planned stopovers at the Solar Impulse website.