Solar Powered plane stays airborne for 26 hours
Some of you might remember when we first brought up the Solar Impulse and how it succeeded in making an 87-minute long flight at 5,000 feet. I’ve just learned that the Solar Impulse has completed a 26-hour flight, and it reached an altitude of 28,543 feet.
I believe that I reported a few months ago that they were hoping for a 36 hour flight as part of their next stop, and I am not certain if this last flight exceeds or lowers expectations.
Some of you are probably wondering how the Solar Impulse could achieve its historic flight of 26 hours when there isn’t 26 hours of sun on any given day. The answer is simple: batteries. I’m not certain if these batteries were charged before or during the flight, though.
Either way, it proves that solar power is a definite power source for the airways, which could change just about everything! Assuming that the program is still on track, there is a plan to get the Solar Impulse around the world in 2012.
Of course, you realize that the Solar Impulse is a light plane with 12,000 solar cells, and a jumbo jet would be a whole lot heavier. In other words, there is a whole lot of bugs to be worked out before we flying a solar-powered friendly skies.
Join 11 reviews or comments
Samuel Leung Says: July 8, 2010 at 6:15 pm
HEADING TYPO…. 26 MINUTES?
GoingLikeSixty Says: July 8, 2010 at 6:28 pm
I feel your pain… headline is wrong.
How to NOT Be One of Them – Farmers Are Being Pushed to Increase in Size Or Get Out! | Solar Power in Florida Says: July 8, 2010 at 11:33 pm
[...] Solar Powered plane stays airborne for 26 hours » Coolest Gadgets [...]
Solar energy fuels experimental airplane all day, and all night – Christian Science Monitor – Solar Light Says: July 9, 2010 at 12:20 am
[...] Powered Plane Lands SafelyInformationWeekSolar-Powered Plane Completes Test FlightNPRCoolest Gadgets -DigitalJournal.com -The Infrastructuristall 1,484 news [...]
ScaredyCat Says: July 9, 2010 at 1:26 am
lol – 26 minutes 
Solar Powered plane stays airborne for 26 minutes | Skoopio.com Says: July 9, 2010 at 9:26 am
[...] Read more here « South Africa: Bleak Fortunes for Locals Spell Danger – AllAfrica.com “American Idol” Tour Cancelled: “Idols Live!” Scrapped Two Weeks Early and… » [...]
Edwin Says: July 9, 2010 at 10:50 am
We’ve corrected it, thanks.
Zephyr breaks record for solar-powered unmanned flight » Coolest Gadgets Says: July 19, 2010 at 6:40 pm
[...] case you thought that the solar-powered plane Solar Impulse with its record 26 hour flight was impressive, you might want to check out the QinetiQ Zephyr solar [...]
Cri-Cri, small solar-powered plane » Coolest Gadgets Says: September 14, 2010 at 4:24 pm
[...] have reported on a lot of solar-powered planes before. Like the Solar Impulse, which is capable of a 26 hour flight, then there is the Zephyr, which broke the record for solar-powered unmanned [...]
Cri-Cri, small solar-powered plane | hi tech gadgets | Like Gadgets Says: September 14, 2010 at 4:55 pm
[...] mentioned on a terrific deal of solar-powered planes before. such as the Solar Impulse, that is capable of a 26 hour flight, then there’s a Zephyr, which broke the doc for solar-powered unmanned [...]
Stefanie Says: July 8, 2010 at 4:58 pm
Minutes or hours? I’m so confused!