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Solar Impulse
Solar Impulse · Experimental solar-powered aircraft · Switzerland · Modern (1992–2009)
Solar Impulse is a Swiss long-range experimental solar-powered aircraft project, and also the name of the project's two operational aircraft. The privately financed project is led by Swiss engineer and businessman André Borschberg and Swiss psychiatrist and balloonist Bertrand Piccard, who co-piloted Breitling Orbiter 3, the first balloon to circle the world non-stop. The Solar Impulse project's goals were to make the first circumnavigation of the Earth by a piloted fixed-wing aircraft using only solar power and to bring attention to clean technologies.
Specifications
- Category
- Fixed Wing
- Sub-Category
- Experimental
- Domain
- Civil
- Era
- Modern (1992–2009)
- Country
- Switzerland
- Manufacturer
- Solar Impulse
- Operator
- André Borschberg and Bertrand Piccard
- Primary Role
- Experimental solar-powered aircraft
- Service Entry
- 2009
- Produced
- 2009–present
- Engine
- 4× electric motors
- Length (ft)
- 71.7
- Wingspan (ft)
- 208
- MTOW (lb)
- 4400
- Endurance (hr)
- approximately 36 hou
- Service Ceiling (ft)
- 27900
- Max Speed (mph)
- 43