Solar Impulse Completes Half of Intercontinental Flight

On Thursday, May 24, 2012, the Solar Impulse, a solar-powered airplane, lifted off in Switzerland bound for Morocco. 17 hours later, the aircraft completed the first leg of its 2,500 km journey, landing in Madrid, having used not a drop of fuel.

This remarkable aircraft is the brainchild of pilot and adventurer Bertrand Piccard. Sporting 12,000 solar panels along its 61 meter wingspan, sunlight powers its electric engines and charges banks of lithium polymer batteries, which store energy to power the airplane at night.

On its first leg, Solar Impulse averaged 89 kph (55.3 mph) and reached a maximum altitude of 8,500 meters (27,000 ft). Piccard will pilot the aircraft on its final leg from Madrid to Morocco. The ultimate goal is to make an around-the-world flight in 2014.

In 2009, Piccard gave a TED presentation on the Solar Impulse project.