Solar Impulse HB-SIA, a prototype of an airplane designed to fly around the world using only solar power. Photo: Solar Impulse

Lausanne, Switzerland

08.07.2010 First night flight ever by a solar plane!

The Solar Impulse HB-SIA, with André Borschberg at its controls, successfully landed this morning at 09:00, to the cheers of a crowd of supporters who came to celebrate this great milestone.

Solar Impulse HB-SIA was up in the air for the whole day, then through the entire night, flying solely on solar energy. Photo: Solar Impulse

For more than 26 hours, André Borschberg expertly piloted the aircraft with its 64 meter wingspan.

Solar Impulse HB-SIA was up in the air for the whole day, then through the entire night, flying solely on solar energy. Photo: Solar Impulse

The plane was up in the air yesterday for the whole day, then through the entire night, flying solely on solar energy.

Photo: Solar Impulse

This flight is the longest and highest in the history of solar aviation!

Photo: Solar Impulse

"I've been a pilot for 40 years now, but this flight has been the most incredible one of my flying career. Just sitting there and watching the battery charge level rise and rise thanks to the sun… And then that suspense, not knowing whether we were going to manage to stay up in the air the whole night. And finally the joy of seeing the sun rise and feeling the energy beginning to circulate in the solar panels again!”
These were the emotional words of André Borschberg, CEO and co-founder of the Solar Impulse project, spoken on leaving the cockpit.
“I have just flown more than 26 hours without using a drop of fuel and without causing any pollution!”

Solar Impulse HB-SIA slowly flies over the Swiss countryside. Photo: Solar Impulse

“Bravo André! You have just proved that what I have been dreaming about for the last 11 years, is possible",
cried out Bertrand Piccard, initiator and President of the project, the moment the Solar Impulse HB-SIA touched down.
He went on to say that
“This is a crucial step forward, it gives full credibility to the speeches we hold since years about renewable energies and CleanTechs and allows us now to get closer to the perpetual flight without using a drop of fuel!”

He then ran over to hug his partner, both men full of tears.

Solar Impulse HB-SIA slowly flies over the Swiss countryside. Photo: Solar Impulse

“Such success would not have been possible without all the hard work put in by an exceptional team",
said Claude Nicollier, head of the Solar Impulse test flight programme.

Solar Impulse HB-SIA slowly flies over the Swiss countryside. Photo: Solar Impulse

“The success also belongs to Solvay, Omega, the Deutsche Bank and all our partners without whom this demonstration of the potential of renewable energy and new technologies would not have been possible",
added the two Solar Impulse founders in chorus.


Flight report


Pilot: André Borschberg, CEO and Co-founder

Take-off time: 07/07/2010 - 06h51

Landing time: 08/07/2010 - 09:00

Flight duration: 26 hours 09 min

Maximum speed: 68 knots (ground speed)

Average speed: 23 knots

Maximum altitude: 8564 m (above sea-level)

Photo: Solar Impulse

The success of this first night flight by a solar-powered plane is crucial for the further course of the Solar Impulse project.

Photo: Solar Impulse

Now that the HB-SIA’s ability to remain flying at night using solar energy stored during the day has been proved, we can start pushing the human and technological limits further.

For more than 26 hours, André Borschberg expertly piloted the aircraft with its 64 meter wingspan. Photo: Solar Impulse

The next important milestones for Solar Impulse will be the crossing the Atlantic and the around the world flight, using the second prototype which goes into construction this summer.

The Challenges of the 21st Century

There were many memorable high points during the last century.

For more than 26 hours, André Borschberg expertly piloted the aircraft with its 64 meter wingspan. Photo: Solar Impulse

The whole world reverberated to the rhythm of the conquest of the poles and of Everest, of the exploration of abyssal zones, the stratosphere and space, the first steps on the moon.
The first flight around the world in a balloon.

Photo: Solar Impulse

These grand premieres all have one thing in common: they have profoundly changed our perception of the impossible.

Photo: Solar Impulse

In the 21st century, adventure must continue, but how do we perpetuate the pioneering spirit and cultivate the audacity of our predecessors?

Solar Impulse HB-SIA slowly flies over the Swiss countryside. Photo: Solar Impulse

Major challenges await humanity.
They will open new horizons for science, but their objectives will be less to conquer unknown territories than to preserve the planet from today's threats, in order to sustain and improve our quality of life.

Photo: Solar Impulse

The next adventures should therefore be humanitarian and medical - combating extreme poverty and containing new epidemics, political - improving our governance of the planet, spiritual - rediscovering profound and soundly-based values, technological - providing durable answers to the threats menacing our environment.

Photo: Solar Impulse

"Adventure is not necessarily a spectacular deed, but rather an "extra-ordinary" one, meaning something that pushes us outside our normal way of thinking and behaving. Something that forces us to leave the protective shell of our certainties, within which we act and react automatically. Adventure is a state of mind in the face of the unknown, a way of conceiving our existence as an experimental field, in which we have to develop our inner resources, climb up the path of our personal evolution and assimilate the ethical and moral values, which we need as our travel companions."

Bertrand Piccard
President and Initiator of the Project

Challenge

The adventurers of the last century were constantly pushing back the limits of the impossible.

Dr. Bertrand Piccard, President and Initiator of the Project and André Borschberg, CEO and Project Co-Founder. Photo: Solar Impulse

Today, human and technological enquiry must go on, aimed at improving the quality of life on our planet.

Dr. Bertrand Piccard, President and Initiator of the Project and André Borschberg, CEO and Project Co-Founder. Photo: Solar Impulse

In building the first solar aircraft able to fly day and night, and piloting it right round the world without fuel or pollution, Solar Impulse's ambition is for the world of exploration and innovation to contribute to the cause of renewable energies, to demonstrate the importance of the new technologies for sustainable development, and to place dream and emotion back at the heart of scientific adventure.

Founders

Two men, both pioneers and innovators, both pilots, are driving force behind Solar Impulse.

Dr. Bertrand Piccard, President and Initiator of the Project. Photo: Solar Impulse

Bertrand Piccard, psychiatrist and aeronaut, who made the first non-stop round-the-world balloon flight, is the initiator and chairman.

André Borschberg, CEO and Project Co-Founder. Photo: Solar Impulse

André Borschberg, an engineer and graduate in management science, a fighter pilot and a professional airplane and helicopter pilot, is the CEO.

The former’s avant-gardist vision and the latter’s entrepreneurial and managerial experience are an ideal combination.


Contact

SOLAR IMPULSE SA
EPFL Scientific Park
CH-1015 Lausanne
Switzerland
Tel: +41 (0)58 219 24 00
Fax: +41 (0)58 219 24 91
E-mail :info@solarimpulse.com


http://www.solarimpulse.com/common/documents/news_.php?lang=en&group=news  

http://www.solarimpulse.com/nightFlights/index.php?lang=en  

http://www.solarimpulse.com/  


Video
Bertrand Piccards Solar Impulse: Nonstop fliegen bei Tag und Nacht

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0wsoERR0-M&feature=related  


Video
1er vol du solar impulse de Bertrand Piccard

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdOHxkgYU1Y&NR=1  


Video
Solar Impulse - Unveiling

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwp5TwJccyA  


Video
Solar Impulse - First Flight by bazonline.ch

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CwIdIJm5o0&feature  


Video
Solar Impulse - Save Landing by bazonline.ch

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZm4ZVVXt_U&feature  


Video
Solar Impulse s'envole de Payerne le 7 avril 2010

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YqGe4LT9NY&feature=related