If your idea of flying at night using solar energy stored bit alarming might want to stop reading. There is an increasing interest in using solar energy to power the aircraft for commercial and military purposes. It now appears that the military functions of the most promising, but that did not stop Andre Borschberg, CEO and co-founder of Solar Impulse project, carried out his dream of solar-powered flight.
Borschberg the international headlines in July 2010, when he finished the first 24-hour solar powered flight. As a remarkable feat because, we are still far from a long-distance commercial flights. What he proved is that it is possible for a small pilot an aircraft to fly through the dark night with stored solar energy, but it is far from a full Airbus.
One of the biggest criticisms leveled at the solar powered aircraft is that they are able to generate enough energy to large passenger aircraft in the air. They are also not capable of reaching speeds we're used to. Borschberg aircraft weighs only 3500 pounds, but it has a wingspan of 210 feet and 11 000 solar panels to keep it in the air. To further conserve energy has traveled only 28 miles per hour.
The next step for Borschberg and the Solar Impulse is a trans-Atlantic flight and from there the only logical thing to do is circle.Round-the-world flight scheduled for 2013. Despite these lofty ambitions, the Swiss team behind the Solar Impulse under no illusions that solar energy will immediately replace jet fuel. Instead they see themselves as pioneers of solar energy, new mapping technologies and demonstrate new possibilities for promoting solar energy.
Military applications
When it comes to military applications of Boeing and NASA to lead the way. Boeing is working on, which is unmanned solar airplane that will be able to fly in the stratosphere, no land for five years. In essence SolarEagle will serve as a military satellite able to collect and transmit intelligence to the team.
SolarEagle Boeing intends to put to the test in 2014, but in the meantime they are putting $ 89 million contract to good use in developing the technology needed to maintain such a long flight.
He May be a good few years before passenger aircraft have access to a solar-powered flight, but there is no doubt that with the right people working on truly carbon air travel is possible.
