Solar plane takes off for test flight

An experimental solar-powered plane using only energy collected from the sun took off for its first 24-hour test flight Wednesday. The plane with its 262.5-foot wingspan left Payerne airfield in Switzerland shortly before 7 a.m. By midmorning pilot Andre Borschberg was cruising at 9,850 feet and he will take the plane to an altitude of 27,900 feet by Wednesday evening.

“The goal of the project is to have a solar-powered plane flying day and night without fuel,” said team co-founder Bertrand Piccard, adding “this flight is crucial for the credibility of the project”. Their goal is to show that emissions-free air travel is possible, but they know that in the near future solar technology won’t replace conventional jet propulsion. Instead, the project is designed to test and promote new energy-efficient technologies.

And, there are some good news for the energy-efficient technologies; President Obama announced on Saturday in his weekly national address that the Department of Energy would award $2 billion to two solar energy companies. Obama said the move is just one of the many ways his administration is trying to speed economic recovery.

Check out Solar Impulse night flight page, or their Twitter account!

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