First solar-powered round the world flight to take off Monday
The plane will travel over 21,000 miles if the journey is successful.
By Thor Benson Contact the Author | March 8, 2015 at 2:56 PM
ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates, March 8 (UPI) -- One of two Swiss pilots will attempt to lift off from Abu Dhabi Monday for the first solar-powered flight around the world.
Pilots Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg will attempt to circle the globe in 12 long flights over five months. The solar plane, called the Solar Impulse 2, can only fit one pilot, but they will fly the trip's segments in shifts.
The plane is thin with a long wingspan, at over 236 feet across, and the wings are covered with over 17,000 solar cells. It can fly at night because of its ability to store energy it collects during the day.
The plane will touch down in the United States, India, Oman, Myanmar, China and either Southern Europe or North Africa, depending on conditions. The pilots have been planning the trip for over a decade, and Richard Branson of Virgin Group is supporting the project. Part of the goal of the project is to promote green energy and environmental awareness
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