The news services are buzzing with word that Solar Impulse has achieved sustained flight. What is Solar Impulse? Amazing engineering.
A 1,600kg manned solar fueled electric powered airplane.
200m^2 of solar cells provide power to run 4 x 7,500W motors (peak output). The solar panels only receive 250W/m^2 on average throughout the day, so that means only 6,000W total (1,500 / motor) of continuous thrust is possible.
The article notes that the plane glided for 87 minutes. I believe the media is taking some literary license with the word 'glided'. According to the new release from Solar Impulse, the plane took off, climbed to 1,200m on a test flight to familiarize the pilot with the handling, etc. The news release says the flight lasted 87 minutes - so I don't think there was much gliding going on (certainly not during the climb).
The technical details that have been released are impressive:
Their ultimate goal? Fly around the world, including flying at night.
Wow.
A 1,600kg manned solar fueled electric powered airplane.
200m^2 of solar cells provide power to run 4 x 7,500W motors (peak output). The solar panels only receive 250W/m^2 on average throughout the day, so that means only 6,000W total (1,500 / motor) of continuous thrust is possible.
The article notes that the plane glided for 87 minutes. I believe the media is taking some literary license with the word 'glided'. According to the new release from Solar Impulse, the plane took off, climbed to 1,200m on a test flight to familiarize the pilot with the handling, etc. The news release says the flight lasted 87 minutes - so I don't think there was much gliding going on (certainly not during the climb).
The technical details that have been released are impressive:
| TECHNCIAL DATASHEET | |
| Wingspan: | 63,40 m |
| Length: | 21,85 m |
| Height: | 6,40 m |
| Weight: | 1 600 Kg |
| Motor power: | 4 x 10 HP electric engines |
| Solar cells: | 11 628 (10 748 on the wing, 880 on the horizontal stabilizer) |
| Average flying speed: | 70 km/h |
| Take-off speed: | 35 km/h |
| Maximum altitude: | 8 500 m (27 900 ft) |
Their ultimate goal? Fly around the world, including flying at night.
Wow.
