The Solar Impulse 2 became the first aircraft in history to circle the globe using only solar energy, completing a journey of over 40,000 kilometers with zero fuel and zero emissions. Covered in thousands of solar cells, the plane generated power during the day and stored excess energy in batteries to fly through the night. While it carried only one pilot and flew at modest speeds, the mission proved a historic point: long-distance flight without fossil fuels is physically possible. The project

This huge solar-powered plane was developed by NASA to perform atmospheric research. | CNET

the legacy of Solar Impulse 2 (Si2) has evolved from a singular record-breaking flight into the blueprint for a new generation of "perpetual" aircraft. In 2016, this Swiss-engineered marvel completed a grueling 40,000-kilometer circumnavigation of the globe without using a single drop of liquid fuel, proving that clean technology could sustain long-duration flight across oceans and continents alike. The aircraft featured a wingspan of 72 meters (wider than a Boeing 747) but weighed only 2.3 metr

43K views · 1.5K reactions | Solar Impulse has become the first...