Hello, my name is Ben Lovegrove and in this video I'm going to review the legacy left
to us by the Solar Impulse 2 flight of 2015.
In Abu Dhabi in 2015, the Solar Impulse 2 took off to begin its flight around the globe
powered only by solar panels. This innovative aircraft, flown and financed
by Swiss businessman and pilot André Borschberg and pilot Bertrand Piccard, was to become
the first solar powered aircraft to circumnavigate the Earth.
During its flight, the Solar Impulse 2 set several new world records; it became the first
solar aircraft to fly through the night, between two continents, and across the USA.
It flew 40,000 km (about 24,859 miles) non-stop, around the Earth, powered only by energy from
the Sun, in five days and five nights. During its flight it emitted zero polluting
emissions. Although this aeroplane proved its point,
that solar power has the potential to be an energy source for at least some type of aircraft
the questions remain, “What did we learn from this flight? What is its legacy?" So
let’s see if we can answer those questions with a brief review of what occurred.
How Did the Solar Impulse 2 Work? The Solar Impulse 2 is a small, one-seat aircraft
containing over 17,000 solar cells incorporated into a colossal 72m wingspan and along the
fuselage. By comparison, the Boeing 747’s wingspan is only 60m.
Pilots Borschberg and Piccard took turns flying the experimental aircraft during the trip.
They were helped by a huge team on the ground whose main task was to anticipate every possible
scenario and to ensure that the aircraft was working optimally.
The Solar Impulse’s journey depended very much on suitable weather conditions. However,
this didn’t mean that the aircraft couldn’t fly in cloud or at night.
During the day, the solar cells recharged the aircraft's lithium batteries, allowing
the Solar Impulse 2 to maintain power at night. Was Solar Impulse 2 the First Solar-Powered
Aircraft? The Solar Impulse 2 is was not the first,
but it was the first to fly around the world. In the early 1970’s, AstroFlight, a US-based
alternative energy company, built a solar powered aircraft called the Sunrise I.
Its first flight took place on November 4, 1974 at Fort Irwin in California. The aircraft
was powered by more than 1,000 solar cells producing 450 watts of power.
Within a couple of years AstroFlight produced an improved Sunrise II with more power and
extended flight limits. In 1980, also in California, the Gossamer
Penguin was the first solar powered aircraft capable of carrying a human pilot.
On July 7, 1981 the Dupont Solar Challenger flew from Pontoise, France to RAF Manston
in Kent, becoming the first solar powered aircraft to cross the English Channel, 72
years after Louis Bleriot made his first powered flight across.
What did the Solar Impulse 2 teach us? The whole purpose of the Solar Impulse 2 was
to prove that solar power is a viable energy resource for powered flight. However, some
aviation industry commentators argue that the experimental aircraft managed to prove
the exact opposite. One of the aircraft’s flights, from Hawaii
to California, took over 62 hours, much more than it took Amelia Earhart 80 years ago when
she first made that non-stop journey. The Solar Impulse 2 was obviously much slower
and only capable of carrying very small payloads. But it’s not unusual for new and innovative
technology to be inefficient. They are designed to prove a principle, and with development
and improvements they begin to realize their potential. However, investment costs cannot
be taken for granted, no matter how exciting the potential may be.
The total costs of the Solar Impulse 2 program were around $250 million. As well as the two
pilots the historic flight involved the combined efforts of 30 engineers, 25 technicians, and
22 mission controllers. Solar Impulse enthusiasts will say that the
program’s mission was to promote clean energy, but detractors argue that it proves how far
we are from solar power being an efficient energy source for aviation.
Will Standard Commercial Flights Be Solar-Powered Some Day?
There is a future for electrically powered aircraft and the aviation industry is taking
its responsibilities to reduce CO2 emissions seriously.
Electrically powered light aircraft are already flying. Larger, medium sized passenger aircraft
are in development. But none of these aircraft are solar powered.
The Solar Impulse 2 flight around the world was only possible because the aircraft was
so very light. We are still a long way from solar powered commercial aircraft in our skies.
The flight was, without a doubt, a huge boost for the development of sustainable aviation
fuels and solar powered aircraft. The flights completed by Borschberg and Piccard
demonstrated that we can reduce our use of polluting fossil fuels and improve the quality
of life on our home planet. The project has become the inspiration for
a new generation of designers, engineers, and pilots - the people who will take this
technology further into the 21st Century. Using educational activities and programs
the Solar Impulse’s legacy is inspiring children, students, and adults to become involved,
to absorb everything that was learned and to expand that knowledge.
When you consider how far aviation has developed in the past 100 years is it really so far-fetched
to imagine that in another 100 years we will have the technology to power large aircraft
by solar energy? To learn more about the history of the project
and to become involved please visit solarimpulse.com. Thanks for watching. If you found anything
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