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Solar Powered Plane:
Info:
From Clean Technica
Solar-Powered Plane to Perform Test Flight
Written by Ariel Schwartz
Published on November 17th, 2008
Itâs hard enough to construct viable solar-powered vehicles, let alone airplanes. Nevertheless, the first solar-powered plane trip around the world is now one step closer to reality. A 1500 kilogram solar plane dubbed âSolar Impulseâ will complete its first test flight next April. The plane, which has a 61 meter wingspan, will attempt to travel around the world in May 2011. It will go into commercial production the same year.
Another use
From New Scientist:
Solar-powered plane will gaze down on Mars
21 January 2009 by Jessica Griggs
GREEN technology is not something usually associated with space exploration, but a solar-powered plane that could fly around Mars both day and night may change that.
The Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich is developing the Sky Sailor, a plane with solar cells on its wings. These would provide power during the day while also charging a battery to keep it aloft at night, says project leader Roland Siegwart. The team believe the Sky Sailor could scour the Martian surface from 1.5 kilometres up for places of interest that a rover might explore, relaying that information back to the lander directing the rover. It could also send images back to Earth.
And another possibility, from Inventor Spot:
Solar Powered Plane Lands Once Every Five Years?
by Gloria Campos
U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), part of the U.S. Department of Defense will see to the development of an aircraft that will need to land but once every five years. Yes, only once every 5 years! The project is called Project Vulture!
The idea is to create a plane that can operate under its own power, in low altitudes, (still in the stratosphere). In addition during those five years the aircraft is in flight it is expected to perform intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance (ISR), and communication missions. Itâs a big project.
5/26/09, Moniker
Info:
From Clean Technica
Solar-Powered Plane to Perform Test Flight
Written by Ariel Schwartz
Published on November 17th, 2008
Itâs hard enough to construct viable solar-powered vehicles, let alone airplanes. Nevertheless, the first solar-powered plane trip around the world is now one step closer to reality. A 1500 kilogram solar plane dubbed âSolar Impulseâ will complete its first test flight next April. The plane, which has a 61 meter wingspan, will attempt to travel around the world in May 2011. It will go into commercial production the same year.
Another use
From New Scientist:
Solar-powered plane will gaze down on Mars
21 January 2009 by Jessica Griggs
GREEN technology is not something usually associated with space exploration, but a solar-powered plane that could fly around Mars both day and night may change that.
The Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich is developing the Sky Sailor, a plane with solar cells on its wings. These would provide power during the day while also charging a battery to keep it aloft at night, says project leader Roland Siegwart. The team believe the Sky Sailor could scour the Martian surface from 1.5 kilometres up for places of interest that a rover might explore, relaying that information back to the lander directing the rover. It could also send images back to Earth.
And another possibility, from Inventor Spot:
Solar Powered Plane Lands Once Every Five Years?
by Gloria Campos
U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), part of the U.S. Department of Defense will see to the development of an aircraft that will need to land but once every five years. Yes, only once every 5 years! The project is called Project Vulture!
The idea is to create a plane that can operate under its own power, in low altitudes, (still in the stratosphere). In addition during those five years the aircraft is in flight it is expected to perform intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance (ISR), and communication missions. Itâs a big project.
5/26/09, Moniker
