Solar Impulse Night Flight Could Happen Wednesday

July 6, 2010 — The Solar Impulse HB-SIA solar-powered aircraft is back on schedule to make its first night flight on Wednesday, July 7, according to the Solar Impulse website. The flight had been scheduled for last Thursday but was postponed when a problem was found in the telemetry system transmitter. With that problem solved, the team anticipates a Wednesday morning takeoff, weather permitting, with Solar Impulse’s CEO and co-founder Andre Borschberg at the controls. If successful, the Solar Impulse HB-SIA will have achieved the company’s primary objective for this summer; demonstrating the feasibility of a night flight powered solely by solar energy collected from the 12,000 solar cells on the wings.

The Solar Impulse prototype. Photo credit: Solar Impulse The Solar Impulse prototype is powered by nearly 12,000 solar cells. Photo credit: Solar Impulse The Solar Impulse HB-SIA completes an earlier test. Photo credit: Solar Impulse

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