THE SOLARAIR PLANE

摘要

63.4 METERS (WINGSPAN) I The Solar Impulse airplane has a wingspan only a meter shorter than that of a Boeing 747, but it weighs as little as a family car. Designed by a team of engineers led by Andre Borschberg and Bertrand Piccard at Switzerland'! Ecole Polytechnique Federate de Lausanne, the single-seat airplane has four electric motors powered by 11,600 solar cells, which can store energy for later use. The Solar Impulse has flown continuously for more than 24 hours; a second model that will be able to fly around the world is in the works.