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Solar plane to embark on coast-to-coast U.S. tour
The Solar Impulse has defied all expectations in its short four-year life.
First, the solar-powered airplane got off the ground in 2010 and stayed aloft for a total of 87 minutes without using a drop of fuel; then, it completed its first international flight traveling from its home of Switzerland to Brussels in about 13 hours. By its first birthday, the plane met the goal of staying aloft for 24 hours -- flying at night with solar energy captured during the day. It has since completed a 1,550-mile journey from Madrid, Spain to Rabat, Morocco.
Now, before it embarks on its new goal to fly around the world in 2015, the Solar Impulse is making the rounds across the U.S. letting aviation buffs ohh and ahh over it's unique slender design, thousands of solar cells, and aerodynamic efficiency.
The plane is schedules to depart from its temporary home at NASA's Ames Research Center in Mountain View, Calif. on May 1, according to the Associated Press. From there, it will touch down in Phoenix, Dallas, Atlanta, Nashville, Washington, D.C., and New York. The goal is to reach its final stop at New York's Kennedy Airport in early July using only the power of the sun's rays.
"We want to inspire the young generation to become pioneers, to help them find and develop their passion," Solar Impulse's co-founder, pilot, and CEO André Borschberg said in a press conference today, according to the Associated Press.
First, the solar-powered airplane got off the ground in 2010 and stayed aloft for a total of 87 minutes without using a drop of fuel; then, it completed its first international flight traveling from its home of Switzerland to Brussels in about 13 hours. By its first birthday, the plane met the goal of staying aloft for 24 hours -- flying at night with solar energy captured during the day. It has since completed a 1,550-mile journey from Madrid, Spain to Rabat, Morocco.
Now, before it embarks on its new goal to fly around the world in 2015, the Solar Impulse is making the rounds across the U.S. letting aviation buffs ohh and ahh over it's unique slender design, thousands of solar cells, and aerodynamic efficiency.
The plane is schedules to depart from its temporary home at NASA's Ames Research Center in Mountain View, Calif. on May 1, according to the Associated Press. From there, it will touch down in Phoenix, Dallas, Atlanta, Nashville, Washington, D.C., and New York. The goal is to reach its final stop at New York's Kennedy Airport in early July using only the power of the sun's rays.
"We want to inspire the young generation to become pioneers, to help them find and develop their passion," Solar Impulse's co-founder, pilot, and CEO André Borschberg said in a press conference today, according to the Associated Press.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-11386_3-57576941-76/solar-plane-to-embark-on-coast-to-coast-u.s-tour/
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