Solar Impulse Completes World Tour Without Fuel

This is an electric airplane, which was operated using only electrical energy, obtained from over 17,000 solar cells. The plane featured a set of four onboard lithium-ion batteries, which were charged by the solar panels, so the flight could be achieved even when solar energy was not available.

Their journey started in March last year, and took 505 days. Unlike you would expect, the round-the-world trip was not made on a single leg.

Instead, the two pilots made numerous stops along their journey, so there is still room for someone else to set a record for the first solar-powered non-stop flight around the world. We are not sure if the Swiss team behind Solar Impulse plans to do this, but they might attempt it if they perfect the craft.

The team started the trip in Abu Dhabi, and it was completed in the same place after the 12 legs of the journey. They decided to split the round-the-world trip into multiple segments because of the low velocity that would be achieved by Solar Impulse, comparable to a modern car.

The crew had to endure a small cabin, which was only fitted with a seat in the cockpit and a built-in toilet. The meals prepared for the pilots were dehydrated and vacuum-packaged so that they will take up as little space as possible.

The worst part about this flight for the crew was the fact that the cabin did not feature heating or an oxygen supply, like in modern airplanes, so they were forced to fly at lower altitudes across their journey.

Even while it is far away from a jumbo jet and the comfort and safety provided by a modern airplane, Solar Impulse did prove a point - that a solar-powered aircraft can make a round-the-world trip.

BREAKING: we flew 40'000km without fuel. It's a first for energy, take it further! #futureisclean pic.twitter.com/JCvKTDBVZx

— SOLAR IMPULSE (@solarimpulse) July 26, 2016