This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-36122618
The article has changed 9 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 6 | Version 7 |
|---|---|
| Solar Impulse lands in California after Pacific crossing | Solar Impulse lands in California after Pacific crossing |
| (about 17 hours later) | |
| The solar-powered aeroplane Solar Impulse has landed in Silicon Valley, California, after a three-day flight over the Pacific Ocean from Hawaii. | The solar-powered aeroplane Solar Impulse has landed in Silicon Valley, California, after a three-day flight over the Pacific Ocean from Hawaii. |
| High winds delayed the landing at Moffett Airfield, Mountain View, as pilot Bertrand Piccard flew in a holding pattern off the coast. | High winds delayed the landing at Moffett Airfield, Mountain View, as pilot Bertrand Piccard flew in a holding pattern off the coast. |
| "The Pacific is done," he declared just before landing. | "The Pacific is done," he declared just before landing. |
| The latest leg of the round-the-world flight was the riskiest yet because of the lack of emergency landing sites. | The latest leg of the round-the-world flight was the riskiest yet because of the lack of emergency landing sites. |
| Fellow pilot Andre Borschberg hugged Mr Piccard when he stepped from the cockpit. | Fellow pilot Andre Borschberg hugged Mr Piccard when he stepped from the cockpit. |
| Google boss Sergey Brin was also at the airfield to greet him. "It was a beautiful landing, we were right there watching," he said in a clip tweeted by the plane's media team. | Google boss Sergey Brin was also at the airfield to greet him. "It was a beautiful landing, we were right there watching," he said in a clip tweeted by the plane's media team. |
| All from the sun | All from the sun |
| "You know there was a moment in the night, I was watching the reflection of the moon on the ocean and I was thinking, 'I'm completely alone in this tiny cockpit and I feel completely confident'," Mr Piccard told reporters afterwards. | "You know there was a moment in the night, I was watching the reflection of the moon on the ocean and I was thinking, 'I'm completely alone in this tiny cockpit and I feel completely confident'," Mr Piccard told reporters afterwards. |
| "And I was really thankful to life for bringing me this experience; it's maybe one of the most fantastic experiences of life I've had." | "And I was really thankful to life for bringing me this experience; it's maybe one of the most fantastic experiences of life I've had." |
| He predicted that, 50 years from now, electric aeroplanes would be "transporting up to 50 people". | He predicted that, 50 years from now, electric aeroplanes would be "transporting up to 50 people". |
| With 17,000 photovoltaic cells on its top surfaces, the plane gets all its energy from the sun. These power the craft's propellers during the day but also charge batteries that the vehicle's motors can then call on during the night. | With 17,000 photovoltaic cells on its top surfaces, the plane gets all its energy from the sun. These power the craft's propellers during the day but also charge batteries that the vehicle's motors can then call on during the night. |
| Solar Impulse started its journey in March of last year in Abu Dhabi, with the two pilots taking turns in the cockpit. | Solar Impulse started its journey in March of last year in Abu Dhabi, with the two pilots taking turns in the cockpit. |
| It crossed Oman, India, Myanmar and China before flying to Japan, from which it undertook the 8,924km (5,545-mile) passage to Hawaii. | It crossed Oman, India, Myanmar and China before flying to Japan, from which it undertook the 8,924km (5,545-mile) passage to Hawaii. |
| That five-day, five-night crossing set a record for the longest ever non-stop solo aeroplane journey. | That five-day, five-night crossing set a record for the longest ever non-stop solo aeroplane journey. |
| However, the vehicle's batteries overheated, forcing the project to stop on the Pacific archipelago for eight months while repairs were conducted. | However, the vehicle's batteries overheated, forcing the project to stop on the Pacific archipelago for eight months while repairs were conducted. |
| A further 20m euros (£16m; $23m) had to be raised from supporters during the winter to keep the project going for another year. | A further 20m euros (£16m; $23m) had to be raised from supporters during the winter to keep the project going for another year. |
| New York next | New York next |
| It was Mr Borschberg who flew into Kalaeloa last July and he will take the controls on the next leg across the US mainland. | It was Mr Borschberg who flew into Kalaeloa last July and he will take the controls on the next leg across the US mainland. |
| The two Swiss pilots' intention is to reach New York by the start of June, to begin preparations for an Atlantic crossing. | The two Swiss pilots' intention is to reach New York by the start of June, to begin preparations for an Atlantic crossing. |
| Assuming this is completed successfully, it should then be a relatively straightforward run back to the "finish line" in Abu Dhabi. | Assuming this is completed successfully, it should then be a relatively straightforward run back to the "finish line" in Abu Dhabi. |
| Mr Piccard and Mr Borschberg have been working on the Solar Impulse project for more than a decade. | Mr Piccard and Mr Borschberg have been working on the Solar Impulse project for more than a decade. |
| A plane wider than a 747 jumbo jet but that weighs just 2.3 tonnes poses some unique challenges: | A plane wider than a 747 jumbo jet but that weighs just 2.3 tonnes poses some unique challenges: |
| LEG 1: 9 March. Abu Dhabi (UAE) to Muscat (Oman) - 772km; 13 Hours 1 Minute | LEG 1: 9 March. Abu Dhabi (UAE) to Muscat (Oman) - 772km; 13 Hours 1 Minute |
| LEG 2: 10 March. Muscat (Oman) to Ahmedabad (India) - 1,593km; 15 Hours 20 Minutes | LEG 2: 10 March. Muscat (Oman) to Ahmedabad (India) - 1,593km; 15 Hours 20 Minutes |
| LEG 3: 18 March. Ahmedabad (India) to Varanasi (India) - 1,170km; 13 Hours 15 Minutes | LEG 3: 18 March. Ahmedabad (India) to Varanasi (India) - 1,170km; 13 Hours 15 Minutes |
| LEG 4: 18 March. Varanasi (India) to Mandalay (Myanmar) - 1,536km; 13 Hours 29 Minutes | LEG 4: 18 March. Varanasi (India) to Mandalay (Myanmar) - 1,536km; 13 Hours 29 Minutes |
| LEG 5: 29 March. Mandalay (Myanmar) to Chongqing (China) - 1,636km; 20 Hours 29 Minutes | LEG 5: 29 March. Mandalay (Myanmar) to Chongqing (China) - 1,636km; 20 Hours 29 Minutes |
| LEG 6: 21 April. Chongqing (China) to Nanjing (China) - 1,384km; 17 Hours 22 Minutes | LEG 6: 21 April. Chongqing (China) to Nanjing (China) - 1,384km; 17 Hours 22 Minutes |
| LEG 7: 30 May. Nanjing (China) to Nagoya (Japan) - 2,942km; 1 Day 20 Hours 9 Minutes | LEG 7: 30 May. Nanjing (China) to Nagoya (Japan) - 2,942km; 1 Day 20 Hours 9 Minutes |
| LEG 8: 28 June. Nagoya (Japan) to Kalaeloa, Hawaii (USA) - 8,924km; 4 Days 21 Hours 52 Minutes | LEG 8: 28 June. Nagoya (Japan) to Kalaeloa, Hawaii (USA) - 8,924km; 4 Days 21 Hours 52 Minutes |
| LEG 9: 21 April. Kalaeloa, Hawaii (USA) to Mountain View, California (USA) - 4,200km; 2 Days 14 Hours 29 Minutes |