SOLAR-POWERED PLANE TRAVELS ROUND THE WORLD



TECHNOLOGY In March 2015, the Solar Impulse 2 solar cell plane will take off for a 35,000 km mission around the world – without consuming as much as one droplet of fuel. More than 17,000 solar cells mounted on the aircraft wings, which are bigger than those of a jumbo jet, will supply the energy required for the flight.
The Solar Impulse 2 is made of super strong and ultralight carbon fibre composites with a surface of integrated solar panels which will supply all the energy for four propeller
engines. The energy is stored in lithium batteries, allowing the aircraft to remain in the air around the clock.
The solar plane was already introduced in April 2014 and is the successor of the Solar Impulse, which took off for the first time in 2010. The predecessor has completed several missions, including one from San Francisco to New York.
The man behind the plane is engineer Bertrand Piccard. He hopes that the winged solar aircraft can inspire other solar powered planes. 

Flying solar cell is ultralight
The plane body is made of ultralight carbon fibre, consuming as little energy as possible. The top of the plane is covered in 17,000+ solar cells, which supply all the energy. 

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