Solar Impulse!

[Nethra K Putti]

SOLAR IMPULSE

- official name is HB-SCA .
- it is an European long-range solar plane project currently under study at the EPFL.
- the project is promoted by Bertrand Piccard.
- this is first plane to send to sun .
- 1st aircraft is intended to be one-seater, capable of taking off autonomously & to remain airborne for days.
- once the efficiency of the batteries make it possible to reduce the weight , 2-seater is planned to make circumnavigation possible.
- it flight round the equator , but essentially in the northern hemisphere.
- 5 stops are planned to change pilots.
- each leg with last 3-4 days.

Aerodynamics :
- the wing span of solar impulse will be 80 meters, slightly wider than the widespan of airbus A380.

Structure :
- the solar impulse weighs 1600 kg.
- to keep the structure ultra-light customised carbon fibre are used.
- while traditional sandwich composites has an area density in the order of 10kg per meters square, those developed doe solar impulse should weigh in the order of 0.5 kg per meter square.

Power :
- photovolatic cells, with the total surface of 200 meters square , will generate electricity during the day , which serve both propel the plane & to recharge the batteries to allow flight at night.
- energy during the day will be stored in lithium batteries in the wings, the density of which must be close to 200 Wh per kg, in split of temperature ranging from +80c to -60c.
- the average power provided to the engine will be on the order of 9 kilowatts [12 horsepower] to that of wright flyer.

Cocpit :
it will provide pressurisation, oxygen & various environmental support to pilot to allow cruise altitude of 12,000 meters.

Partnerships :
the project is partically financed by private companies :
- solvary
- SA
- Deutsche bank
- Alton
- Swisscom
- EPFL

- on june 26 2009, the solar impulse was first presented to public in switzerland.
-the first testflight is planned for late summer 2009 .
- second version of planned by 2011.
- this will be launched in the year 2012.