Originally Posted by
pattern_is_full
I'm sure there will be some "built-for-purpose" World-altitude-record-for-electric-aircraft contenders, with engineering devoted soley to lifting 1 person, 1 oxygen bottle, and x-many kilos of batteries to 40/50/60,000 feet. But in that case the optimum altitude will be "beats previous record before the O2 runs out"
. U2 aerodynamics would seem to rule in that case.
What point is there for something like that? A glider has already reached over 60.000ft (pressurized of course) and will eventually reach over 90.000ft. Not really impressive for a powered airplane to reach less than that.