Swiss Test of Round-the-world Solar Plane

[Exiles800]

Aerodynamically I'm not sure this is the best design. I think a flying wing with lighter than air bladders would increase surface area for thrust energy to maximize solar efficiency and translate it into forward movement.

[applesweeter]

Dear All,

I have some questions about psychology:

(1) Why do we love flying?

(2) Why do we want to build solar powered aeroplanes?

(3) What idea and social principle does this solar powered aeroplane promote and campagin?

(4) How will we feel if we can see the shining sun in our entire journey of flying?

THANK YOU IN ADVANCE for your ideas and barinstorm!!! :)

[Anothercoilgun]

@applesweeter

Not sure about love but to travel long distances in a short time is awesome by what ever means.

[carmoldu]

the pilot will die in hunger when trying to cross the ocean at that velocity XD anyway, a really cool advance in aviation!

[thomaserossi]

This plane is a fucking waste of money!

94 million dollars!?

With a price tag of $94,000,000 it would take 10,000yrs of constant flight to make back its money because it doesn't seat 2000 people.

[Aggiesgigem]

@thomaserossi It's for the sake of discovery, not for a profit... -_-

[Anothercoilgun]

@thomaserossi

That is research and development. The plane would be far, lets say 2 million, once reproduced. The budge pays all the top notch scientist and engineers top dollar during design phase.

[barmybrummy1988]

55,000 ft!!!!! that a bloody good RC! where can i get one?

[TrojanMuleMCCCXXXVII]

@barmybrummy1988

Fifty-five hundred feet, meaning 5 500 feet, not 55 00 feet.

[TrojanMuleMCCCXXXVII]

@TrojanMuleMCCCXXXVII

**55 000

[sideslide23]

Well we came long ways on new type of plane since the Write Brothers, now we got the solar plane, this is probably one of the right solar plane, and someday solar plane will have battery pack, electric airplane and eventually will seat 4, 6, 8, or even 10 passenger or more in the future.

[MrPRdark]

This is no just new look. This is the future and people should accept this sci-fi technology. Solar technology can make our lives a lot cleaner. Excuse me if I had a mistake in writing, my English is not so good.t

[Shakespeare1612]

94 million dollars? Why? A joint strike fighter only cost 40 million. I mean the only expensive part is the solar panels? 94 million dollars? I think you can send a probe to Mars for that. I think these engineers met in Las Vegas, and have a gambling problem.

[acoustics101]

I could see this design being upscaled using the same motors and lithium ion batteries as the Tesla Roadster. The batteries would be charged by the solar cells on the wings.

[THISNAMEOWNS]

these would be perfect for bulk cargo where speed isnt a major factor

[thomaserossi]

@THISNAMEOWNS - bulk cargo? Are you stupid?! If it could carry "bulk" it would seat 250 people minimum. It isn't "speedy" because it has no power. Ergo, it cannot carry "bulk cargo."

Damn, Liberals are fucking retards!

[THISNAMEOWNS]

@thomaserossi In hindsight, such an aircraft would be nearly useless except for surveillance/endurance purposes, and will perform poorly at that. Although regarding your comment, I'd like to point out that there is no need to be abrasive against me for I am neither a liberal nor an aerospace expert.

[nebulawars]

@TheMostCleverAlias that's called development. It costs a shitload, but if it produces a product that can be sold. You can earn huge. It's a gamble.

[airlinerdude12]

@TheMostCleverAlias , no, your probably worth more, so you are the most retarded thing ever seen

[ParallaxFilm]

That's a new look!

[mrjimhoward]

This is great news for travellers

[TrutherD1]

Wow, he's flying with solar power despite the thick chemtrail haze skies. Great job.

[Sojujinn]

Supposedly, NASA or other American high technology companies should have done this, but I suspect there were some "interference" with NON-oil based technology. It is bizarre how many solar powered and electric based engines have "died" in the U.S. As I recall, solar powered planes could sometimes be used to replace space based satellites as they could cover one area for weeks or longer as the technology gets perfected.

[acoustics101]

Actually NASA did build a solar plane several years ago. It used 10 motors! See the video by simply doing a Youtube search for "solar plane".

[katey1dog]

Sweet.

[IronHorsez88]

it certainly cannot circle the earth in 24 hours because I believe they say that the sun if it was moving and the earth was stationary -- the sun 'travels' around the earth at around 1000 MPH or this would be around 1600 KPH. Since they say this plane flys below 30 MPH, it could only go 700 miles in a day- I don't see how.

[airlinerdude12]

@IronHorsez88 , wow when did the sun rotate around the earth, what time period are you in you idiot.

[IronHorsez88]

@airlinerdude12

Even though a college graduate, my posting was written so a kindergartner could comprehend the idea. There are just some ignorant kids out there that need to go back to reading comprehension in middle school before posting replies to anything they read.

Where you from? South Carolina?

Please- spare us your childish antics. There's no humor in it.

[ParallaxFilm]

Crazy technology!

[liOVERLOADil]

Didn't NASA do this like 15 years ago?

[niupaidanui]

@liOVERLOADil This one has a pilot.

[niupaidanui]

Assuming that it doesn't carry significant amounts of battery storage, it'll have to keep flying to stay within daylight. Otherwise, should night catch up, solar panels would not be much use. Thus there would be a maximum (and minimum) to how long a round-the-world trip would take. 24hrs +/-? Who here is smart enough to do the math? :)

[swordofisis]

Think of how big it would have to be to carry people at the same power to weight ratio! The bigger it got the more power it would need, bigger motors would weigh more... blah blah blah, lets not hold our breath. big zepplins filled with something besides hydrogen would be better. big electric airships would be cool! Solar panels could help extend their range and they could swap out rechargable batteries at ports!

[TrutherD1]

Why can't we just fly plasma balls like the aliens do? watch?v=QgRZ0VFvqiw

[Zbates9513]

@TrutherD1 lol

[digitalbots]

that will be the slowest trip around the world....

[starcatcher7777]

I am impressed ! Dont know if it will hold up in any weather but .. Neither did the first flight of the Wright Bros.