Solar-Powered Plane Soars - 3ft Above The Ground!
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On December 17th, 1903 the Wright brothers revolutionized our world when they piloted their first powered flight that went up 20ft, lasted for 12 seconds and traveled a distance of 120ft. Now, almost 106 years later, two Swiss inventors have achieved a similar feat, with the successful maiden voyage of the world's first piloted solar-powered airplane - the Solar Impulse.
Rising just 3ft above the ground the plane managed to fly a distance of 1,150ft. in 30 seconds, before landing gracefully. While short, it was a huge achievement for inventors Bertrand Piccard and Andre Borschberg - a giant step toward their ultimate goal of flying the plane around the world in 2012.
The 'Solar Impulse', which has a wingspan larger than that of a Boeing 747, but weighs only 3,500 pounds, is equipped with four electric motors and 890 lbs of re-chargeable lithium batteries, which will store the energy collected by the 12,000 ultra-thin film solar panels that will engulf the entire airplane.
While the test flights will be completely solar powered, this flight was powered by the electric motors, because it was largely to test if the plane can even take flight. Now that the airplane can be airborne, the duo plan on taking longer test flights,starting with an all night flight next year, as they prepare for their historic journey. To read more about this amazing aircraft and its inventors check out : www.solarimpulse.com.
sources:treehugger.com,redorbit.com, dailymail.co.uk, wired.com
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56 Comments
- haris5about 16 yearsThat was really cool.The airplane was really big I'm amazed what they did, wow. Really looking foward when you guys fly it in 2012. It was really cool It went three feet I hope it can go more.
- keilyn5about 16 yearsWow that is realy cool!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That solar power air plain is awsome! I think that it cold go around the world in one night.
- Erik5about 16 yearsA solar powered plane flew 3 feet off the ground. I never knew it would fly more than a 1,000 feet. It's great that they made a solar powered plane.
- Angel 5about 16 yearsI like the video and cool plane and I hope you have fun trip around the world in 2012.
- Nicholas5about 16 yearsWow. That plane is big. Those people who made it are geniouses. Ten years is a very long time. I would love to see how big it is in person.
- christina5about 16 yearsI think that it is so cool that the air plane is solar powered but I know that the inventors can do better than that . If they work hard enough they can probably get the solar powered plane to go way higher than five feet . Other than that though I think they did a pretty good job.
- julia5about 16 yearsThe solar power plane was the most cool thing ever but it only went 3 feet . I bet they will improve it but since it's the first time thats okay.The video was very interesting it was a smart idea to make a solar power plane.
- jesse5about 16 yearsI think it was awsome and I never knew you can do that I will look fowerd to 2012. try to make new improvments. And I want to go in it. Hopefully you can do it.
- Melany5about 16 yearsI think that to make a big plane would be hard. Even though it does not fly to high but is imperesive to.That was a very good idea to do that.VERY COOL!
- Lily5about 16 yearsThat was very interesting! It was probaly really fun to fly in that plane. I wonder if it can go farther than 120 feet?That would be really cool.