Solar Impulse
Join Date: Feb 2008
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Not the same thing. Sunlight converted to electricity doesn't have enough energy density to make this "fuel" viable......... EVER.
Zephyr ? unmanned aircraft system UAS
the problem with that is LEO satellites are getting much cheaper every month as are the launch costs, to the point SpaceX are already looking to launch their own LEO constellation for net connectivity (the way they are heading is looking like they could put up enough in 2 launches to cover the planet).
in reality, the number of planes/blimps/whatever to do this job would simply be far to expensive and have too high a running costs for anything practical.
in reality, the number of planes/blimps/whatever to do this job would simply be far to expensive and have too high a running costs for anything practical.
Join Date: Dec 2006
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@ion berkley
While long endurance solar cell powered flights in the stratosphere by Helios NASA - Helios and Zephyr Zephyr ? unmanned aircraft system UAS type aircraft are demonstrably feasible - although not validated by extended flight. There are also any number of UAS that are battery powered both commercial and toys. The implications from the media releases that in a few years South West and Easyjet can be expected to be flying pax on all electric aircraft is completely false. Solar impulse like Gossamer Albatross only shows that there may be niche uses. The amount of energy for powered flight has not altered so the energy density has to be sufficient. Currently there is no battery or electrical generation system that provides anything close to hydrocarbon fuel energy densities which exceed battery capabilities by several orders of magnitude.
While long endurance solar cell powered flights in the stratosphere by Helios NASA - Helios and Zephyr Zephyr ? unmanned aircraft system UAS type aircraft are demonstrably feasible - although not validated by extended flight. There are also any number of UAS that are battery powered both commercial and toys. The implications from the media releases that in a few years South West and Easyjet can be expected to be flying pax on all electric aircraft is completely false. Solar impulse like Gossamer Albatross only shows that there may be niche uses. The amount of energy for powered flight has not altered so the energy density has to be sufficient. Currently there is no battery or electrical generation system that provides anything close to hydrocarbon fuel energy densities which exceed battery capabilities by several orders of magnitude.
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Join Date: May 2009
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Heading for Seville. Solar Impulse - 15th Leg from New York to Seville
The Atlantic Crossing
Another multiple-day flight is on its way over the Atlantic Ocean. Bertrand Piccard will be making this first transatlantic solar and electric crossing with zero fuel and zero emissions.
The flight will last between approximately 90 hours and 110 hours, representing the longest distance we have had to fly this year. He took off at 6:30AM UTC, 8:30AM CET and 2:30AM EDT on June 20th from JFK in New York and will be landing in Seville Airport over three days later.
The Atlantic Crossing
Another multiple-day flight is on its way over the Atlantic Ocean. Bertrand Piccard will be making this first transatlantic solar and electric crossing with zero fuel and zero emissions.
The flight will last between approximately 90 hours and 110 hours, representing the longest distance we have had to fly this year. He took off at 6:30AM UTC, 8:30AM CET and 2:30AM EDT on June 20th from JFK in New York and will be landing in Seville Airport over three days later.
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Flight Time 2d 23h 56m 4s
Distance 6272 km (100 %)
Altitude 278 ft (85 m)
They had hoped for Le Bourget, but as any football fan knows, France covered by storms.
Distance 6272 km (100 %)
Altitude 278 ft (85 m)
They had hoped for Le Bourget, but as any football fan knows, France covered by storms.
Join Date: Sep 2009
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Now en route CAI - AUH
Expected to take about 48 hours. Great achievement -if it makes it - but slightly clouded in my view by the cooked batteries which had to be replaced.
Still round-the-world on solar power alone is quite something.
Expected to take about 48 hours. Great achievement -if it makes it - but slightly clouded in my view by the cooked batteries which had to be replaced.
Still round-the-world on solar power alone is quite something.
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https://www.solarimpulse.com/leg-17-...o-to-Abu_Dhabi
It's an impressive achievement. Good luck to them with the Arabian heat.
It's an impressive achievement. Good luck to them with the Arabian heat.
Last edited by mutt; 24th Jul 2016 at 12:13.
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They were doing 25 kts in the climb to that altitude. Impressive wing design.
Their flight planning was quite intriguing, takeoff at dawn to avoid temperature and winds. Hold off the coast of Saudi for a number of hours during the hottest part of the day, therefore avoiding extremely unpleasant temperatures and thermals.
Looking forward to seeing them complete the journey tomorrow.
Their flight planning was quite intriguing, takeoff at dawn to avoid temperature and winds. Hold off the coast of Saudi for a number of hours during the hottest part of the day, therefore avoiding extremely unpleasant temperatures and thermals.
Looking forward to seeing them complete the journey tomorrow.
completed flight
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Safely down at Al Bateen Executive Airport, downtown Abu Dhabi. (Not at AUH).
Great achievement. Hadn't appreciated it's unpressurised so 30,000 ft is even more impressive.
Great achievement. Hadn't appreciated it's unpressurised so 30,000 ft is even more impressive.
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er...maybe a couple of you missed the point. Experimental and Pioneering it was... bringing together and building a team capable of utilizing renewable energy to accomplish something that has NEVER been done before. Flying Round the WORLD using absolutely NO (Fossil) FUEL !! Now how much did that cab cost the other day back to the airport?? Tesla would be pleased... and so am I. Well done to ALL who played their part in the team.
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So, just to put this in context, a massively expensive Solar plane takes months to do the job a Russian dude has managed in 11 days in a balloon.
Russian priest breaks round-the-world ballooning record | Australasia | News | The Independent
Russian priest breaks round-the-world ballooning record | Australasia | News | The Independent
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That guy didn't do anything close to the kms that the Solar Impulse did. "Round the World"? No, I think it's Round the Southern Hemisphere".
Join Date: Aug 2009
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Hi,
Fot the flight only yes .. but this flying was impossible if not a crew at each stop point .. and those used a big amount of fossil fuel 
Flying Round the WORLD using absolutely NO (Fossil) FUEL !!