get renewable energies off the...
TRANSCRIPT
PSE-C, EPFL SCiEntiFiC Park CH-1015 LauSannE, SwitzErLand
around the world In a solar aIrplane
tEL.: +41 (0)58 219 24 00FaX: +41 (0)58 219 24 91
GEt rEnEwaBLE EnErGiES OFF tHE GrOund!
dreams and emotions at the heart of scientific adventure
“Conquest” – the watchword for centuries – but today adventure means improving quality of life, durability, respect
inVEntinG tHE FuturEFlYInG wIthout Fuel For the first time in history, an airplane has succeeded in flying night and day without any fuel, powered for 26 hours by nothing but solar energy. This flight, on 8 July 2010, brought the initial phase of the Solar Impulse adventure launched by Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg to a successful conclusion, validating their goal of demonstrating the enormous potential of new technologies for saving energy and applying renewable forms of energy.
In its quest for the ultimate in technological performance and symbolic force, Solar Impulse has set out on the precarious and risk-strewn path trodden by all pioneers. Since 2003, a team of creative mechanical and electrical engineers, physicists, IT experts, and composite material specialists have applied all their skills to build this revolutionary aircraft, capable of coming close to perpetual flight.
arOund tHE wOrLd in a SOLar airPLanE
TRAJECTORY Solar impulse continues a long tradition of exploration, adventure and scientific development. By initiating this challenge, Bertrand Piccard is continuing his family history of adventure, from the expl oration of the stratosphere and the ocean depths to his own round-the-world balloon flight.For him, an adventure like this must serve to motivate society to face up to the challenges of our time by using clean technologies. the positive reactions to Solar impulse’s message already coming in from economic and political circles seem to justify this vision.
AN EPIC IN STAGES
One year of studies, four years of design work, two years of building and a year of testing were needed before the HB-Sia prototype could validate the concept by achieving the first ever solar powered night flight: 26 hours, 10 minutes, 19 sec-onds, with 4 hours worth of surplus energy still left in the batteries on landing, and 3 world records set. the lessons learned from the first proto-type are now being incorporated into the development of a second airplane, HB-SiB, which will attempt to fly round the world starting in 2014. the great firsts in the his-tory of flight, such as the crossings of the uSa and the atlantic, will be re-enacted, but this time without using any fuel.
DUAL CONTROL
two pioneers and innovators, both pilots, came together to drive forward Solar impulse: Bertrand Piccard, doctor, psychiatrist and aeronaut, who made the first ever non-stop round-the-world bal-loon flight, is its founder and chairman. andré Borschberg, an engineer and grad-uate in management science, a trained fighter pilot and professional airplane and helicopter pilot, is the CEO. the former’s avant-gardist vision and skills as a communicator and the latter’s entrepreneurial experience complement each other ideally.
“ Just imagine your energy reserves increasing during flight! to make this dream a reality, we had to make maximum use of every single watt supplied by the sun, storing any surplus in our batteries. we tracked down every possible source of energy efficiency. By tapping into each team member’s experience and using the combined potential of them all, we managed to find the solutions.” andré Borschberg
UNCONDITIONAL PARTNERSSolar Impulse brings together an entire family of partners who share the project’s pioneering spirit, guarantee its feasibility and are committed to promoting renewable energies.
Solar impulse’s partners all have a pioneering spirit, a long-term vision and a desire to explore new horizons. above all they share the basic values of this human adventure: exploration, technological innovation, entrepreneurial excellence, passion, teamwork, dream and emotion. Like Solar impulse’s initiators, they want to use these values to promote renewable energies and the technology necessary for protecting the environ-ment. they are contributing to the success of this adventure by financing the aircraft and providing support in their particular fields of expertise.
“ Solar impulse was not built to carry passen-gers, but to carry messages. we want to show what can be achieved using clean technologies, to reduce our society’s dependence on fossil energies. what we can achieve in the air, anyone can do on the ground, in their everyday lives.” Bertrand piccard
Shaping tomorrow through the power of innovation and the pioneering spirit
SolarMax – La Semeuse (coffee) – Hirslanden Private Hospital Group – Vacuumschmelze – decision Sa – nestlé Health Science – Lantal – SunPower
Solvaythe first main partner to sign up for the Solar impulse adventure was Solvay. this international chemicals group is well known for its plastics and polymers and for its development of new materials and innovative technological solutions.
OmegaFrom the moon to the sun. For Omega, partnering this challenge is an opportunity to set out once again on the route of the pioneers and re-live an adventure which com-bines passion and avant-garde technological innovation, whilst bringing to the project its own expertise in micromechanics and microelectronics.
Deutsche Bank a door to the world of finance and industry, deutsche Bank brings to the project its experi-ence of sustainable development, its passion for performance and its long-term vision which lend credibility to the fundamental and necessary link between economics and ecology.
SchindlerBy embedding its engineers in the Solar impulse project, Schindler again proves its «can-do» attitude and spirit of innovation, at the technological forefront for sustainable mobility. as a leading global elevator and escalator provider and a technology pioneer for clean mobility, Schindler moves 1 billion people every day.
Bayer MaterialScienceworld specialist in polymers, Bayer MaterialScience supports Solar impulse with high-tech materials and energy-saving lightweight products.
Altranthe project’s engineering partner, a leader in innovation consulting, is making available to Solar impulse its human resources and its multidisciplinary, multisectoral expertise.
Swisscomthe national telecommunications partner, Swisscom is developing the tools which will per-mit communication between the aircraft and mission control at any place around the world.
the Geneva company Semper, the first company to back the project, the Clarins Group and Victorinox are supporting the technology vision, the thrust for innovation and the respect of the environment that Solar impulse is championing. Bkw /FMk (Forces Motrices Bernoises), toyota Switzerland and SiG (Services industriels de Genève) are supporting the project at national level.
Following the 2003 feasibility study, the EPFL (Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne) became the Official Scientific advisor, bringing to the project the competence of its various laboratories. For these knowledge explorers, Solar impulse represents a field of very high level research with innumerable potential applications.
Solar impulse benefits from the know-how of major aerospace players such as ESa (European Space agency), dassault aviation and iata (international air transport association), which have welcomed the adventure with open arms, as well as the support of EMPa, the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and technology.
MAIN PARTNERS
OFFICIAL PARTNERS
OFFICIAL SUPPORTERS
INSTITUTIONAL AND AERONAUTICS PARTNERS
OFFICIAL SUPPLIERS
VISION
Solar Impulse believes in the power of symbols. By writing new pages of aviation history with solar energy, including even a round-the-world flight with no fuel or polluting emissions, Solar Impulse is demonstrating the enormous potential of new technologies for energy saving and the production of renewable energies. This Solar Impulse initiative is both scien-tific and innovative. It is also philosophical, by virtue of its concern to heighten aware-ness in society of the need to be sparing with our planet’s energy resources.
AIRPLANE With the giant wingspan of an Airbus A340 and a miniscule weight, that of an average car, the HB-SIA prototype presents constructional and aerodynamic features never before encountered. Carbon fibre structure, propulsion chain, flight envelope and instrumentation, ever ything has been rethought and designed to save energy, resist high altitude factors hostile to both materials and pilot, and to combine the constraints of weight with the need for strength.
TESTS AND VIRTUAL FLIGHTS
Calculations, tests and simulations are an integral part of each project phase. During construction, wing-loading and vibration tests allowed the engineers to fine-tune their models and then move forward step by step into totally unknown territory. In preparation for the first flight tests, a simulator was specially devel-oped to train the pilots to operate in the tiny 1,3 cm3 cockpit, and control an aircraft whose large span and low wing-loading result in tricky handling characteristics. The multi-disciplinary mission team simulated countless flights, in search of the most suitable weather patterns, to secure access for the solar aircraft to controlled airspace, and to prepare for landings at international airports.
ENERGY CAPTURE AND STORAGE
To succeed, the project must maximize aerodynamic performance and optimize the energy chain. The 11 628 monocrys-talline silicon cells covering the wing and horizontal stabilizer, each 150 microns thick, were selected for their lightness, flexibility and output (22 %). Their energy efficiency could have been higher still, but the additional weight would have pe-nalized the aircraft during night flight. This being the most critical phase of flight, the major constraint in the project is storing enough energy in the lithium polymer batteries, whose energy density is 240 Wh/kg. Situated in the four engine nacelles, these batteries weigh in total 400 kg, a quarter of the total weight of the aircraft.
STRUCTURE AND MATERIALS
Attaining a wingspan in excess of 63 m with a weight of only 1600 kg represents a major first in the world of aviation, as regards robustness, lightness and man-oeuvrability. Solar Impulse is built of composite materials, consisting of a car-bon fibre-honeycomb sandwich structure. The upper wing surface is covered with a skin of embedded solar cells, and the undersides of the wings with a high-re-sistance flexible film. 120 carbon-fibre ribs placed at 50 cm intervals give the wing its aerodynamic profile as well as ensuring its rigidity.
PROPULSION SYSTEM
Fitted beneath the wings of HB-SIA are four nacelles, each containing a 10 HP motor, a lithium polymer battery set and a management system controlling charge / discharge and temperature. The thermal insulation has been designed to conserve the heat radiated by the batter-ies and so keep them functioning despite the -40°C encountered at 8500 meters. Each engine is fitted with a reduction gear that restricts each 3,5 meters diameter, twin-bladed propeller to an RPM in the range of 200-400.
ENERGY RESOURCES
At midday, each m² of land surface receives the equivalent of 1000 watts, or 1,3 horse-power of light power. But over 24 hours this averages out at just 250 W/m². With 200 m² of photovoltaic cells and 12 % total efficiency of the propulsion chain, HB-SIA’s four engines achieve on aver-age only 8 HP or 6 KW – roughly the amount of power the Wright brothers had available to them in 1903 when they made their first powered flight. And it is with this energy, optimized from the solar panel to the propeller by the efforts of an entire team, that Solar Impulse managed to fly day and night without fuel!
TECHNICAL DATASHEET
Wingspan 63,40 m
Length 21,85 m
Height 6,40 m
Power source 4 x 10 HP electric engines
Solar cells 11 628 (10 748 on the wing, 880 on the horizontal stabilizer)
Weight 1600 kg
Average flying speed 70 km/h
Take-off speed 44 km/h
Stalling speed 35 km/h
Maximum cruising altitude 8500 m(27 900 ft)
3 World Records in the solar-powered aircraft category: Duration (26 h, 10 min, 19 sec); Absolute altitude (9235 m, 30 300 ft); Gain of height (8744 m, 28 688 ft)
THE ZERO FUEL AIRPLANE
NIGHT FLYING THANKS TO THE SUN…
CHALLENGE
To produce an aircraft that will take off and fly autonomously both day and night, propelled only by solar energy, is a tre-mendous challenge that required the optimization of new kinds of technology and a drastic reduction in energy con-sumption. Solar Impulse’s 70 engineers and technicians, supported by a hundred or so experts and advisers, have had to apply highly innovative aeronautical solu-tions. Whilst not the first solar aircraft project, Solar Impulse is certainly the most ambitious. With its successful flight through night and day, the HB-SIA proto-type became the first aircraft to come close to perpetual flight.
FIRST OBJECTIVE ACHIEVED – THE NIGHT FLIGHT!
By flying night and day without any fuel, the HB-SIA prototype flown by Andre Borschberg validated the digital simulations and technological choices, above all lending credibility to Bertrand Piccard’s message: “Today’s technologies – if only governments had the courage to promote them on a massive scale – would allow us to reduce our dependence on fossil energies significantly. It’s not only the environment that would be a winner. Job creation and purchasing power would also benefit from opening up these fascinating development perspectives.”
This success has caught the attention of numerous political decision-makers and parlia-mentary commissions. They are expressing interest in using Solar Impulse as an example, to encourage the launch of more ambitious policies for energy and the environment.
To support these initiatives, the Solar Impulse Foundation has launched an educational program to encourage young people to embrace the pioneering spirit
FIRST DAY/NIGHT SOLAR FLIGHT IN HISTORY
> The wingspan of an Airbus A340, in order to minimize induced drag and offer maximum possible surface area for the solar cells
> The weight of a family car – every unnecessary gram has been eliminated in order to build a super-light aircraft
> The average power of a scooter, after optimizing to the extreme the entire energy chain
> Seven years of calculation, simulation, construction and testing
> A multidisciplinary team with 70 specialists, 80 partners and about a hundred advisers
Dependence on fossil energies is no longer inevitable
Alternative energy coupled with new technology can achieve what seemed impossible
More than an airplane – a state of mind to encourage energy saving
PSE-C, EPFL SCiEntiFiC Park CH-1015 LauSannE, SwitzErLand
around the world In a solar aIrplane
tEL.: +41 (0)58 219 24 00FaX: +41 (0)58 219 24 91
GEt rEnEwaBLE EnErGiES OFF tHE GrOund!
dreams and emotions at the heart of scientific adventure
“Conquest” – the watchword for centuries – but today adventure means improving quality of life, durability, respect
inVEntinG tHE FuturEFlYInG wIthout Fuel For the first time in history, an airplane has succeeded in flying night and day without any fuel, powered for 26 hours by nothing but solar energy. This flight, on 8 July 2010, brought the initial phase of the Solar Impulse adventure launched by Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg to a successful conclusion, validating their goal of demonstrating the enormous potential of new technologies for saving energy and applying renewable forms of energy.
In its quest for the ultimate in technological performance and symbolic force, Solar Impulse has set out on the precarious and risk-strewn path trodden by all pioneers. Since 2003, a team of creative mechanical and electrical engineers, physicists, IT experts, and composite material specialists have applied all their skills to build this revolutionary aircraft, capable of coming close to perpetual flight.
arOund tHE wOrLd in a SOLar airPLanE
TRAJECTORY Solar impulse continues a long tradition of exploration, adventure and scientific development. By initiating this challenge, Bertrand Piccard is continuing his family history of adventure, from the expl oration of the stratosphere and the ocean depths to his own round-the-world balloon flight.For him, an adventure like this must serve to motivate society to face up to the challenges of our time by using clean technologies. the positive reactions to Solar impulse’s message already coming in from economic and political circles seem to justify this vision.
AN EPIC IN STAGES
One year of studies, four years of design work, two years of building and a year of testing were needed before the HB-Sia prototype could validate the concept by achieving the first ever solar powered night flight: 26 hours, 10 minutes, 19 sec-onds, with 4 hours worth of surplus energy still left in the batteries on landing, and 3 world records set. the lessons learned from the first proto-type are now being incorporated into the development of a second airplane, HB-SiB, which will attempt to fly round the world starting in 2014. the great firsts in the his-tory of flight, such as the crossings of the uSa and the atlantic, will be re-enacted, but this time without using any fuel.
DUAL CONTROL
two pioneers and innovators, both pilots, came together to drive forward Solar impulse: Bertrand Piccard, doctor, psychiatrist and aeronaut, who made the first ever non-stop round-the-world bal-loon flight, is its founder and chairman. andré Borschberg, an engineer and grad-uate in management science, a trained fighter pilot and professional airplane and helicopter pilot, is the CEO. the former’s avant-gardist vision and skills as a communicator and the latter’s entrepreneurial experience complement each other ideally.
“ Just imagine your energy reserves increasing during flight! to make this dream a reality, we had to make maximum use of every single watt supplied by the sun, storing any surplus in our batteries. we tracked down every possible source of energy efficiency. By tapping into each team member’s experience and using the combined potential of them all, we managed to find the solutions.” andré Borschberg
UNCONDITIONAL PARTNERSSolar Impulse brings together an entire family of partners who share the project’s pioneering spirit, guarantee its feasibility and are committed to promoting renewable energies.
Solar impulse’s partners all have a pioneering spirit, a long-term vision and a desire to explore new horizons. above all they share the basic values of this human adventure: exploration, technological innovation, entrepreneurial excellence, passion, teamwork, dream and emotion. Like Solar impulse’s initiators, they want to use these values to promote renewable energies and the technology necessary for protecting the environ-ment. they are contributing to the success of this adventure by financing the aircraft and providing support in their particular fields of expertise.
“ Solar impulse was not built to carry passen-gers, but to carry messages. we want to show what can be achieved using clean technologies, to reduce our society’s dependence on fossil energies. what we can achieve in the air, anyone can do on the ground, in their everyday lives.” Bertrand piccard
Shaping tomorrow through the power of innovation and the pioneering spirit
SolarMax – La Semeuse (coffee) – Hirslanden Private Hospital Group – Vacuumschmelze – decision Sa – nestlé Health Science – Lantal – SunPower
Solvaythe first main partner to sign up for the Solar impulse adventure was Solvay. this international chemicals group is well known for its plastics and polymers and for its development of new materials and innovative technological solutions.
OmegaFrom the moon to the sun. For Omega, partnering this challenge is an opportunity to set out once again on the route of the pioneers and re-live an adventure which com-bines passion and avant-garde technological innovation, whilst bringing to the project its own expertise in micromechanics and microelectronics.
Deutsche Bank a door to the world of finance and industry, deutsche Bank brings to the project its experi-ence of sustainable development, its passion for performance and its long-term vision which lend credibility to the fundamental and necessary link between economics and ecology.
SchindlerBy embedding its engineers in the Solar impulse project, Schindler again proves its «can-do» attitude and spirit of innovation, at the technological forefront for sustainable mobility. as a leading global elevator and escalator provider and a technology pioneer for clean mobility, Schindler moves 1 billion people every day.
Bayer MaterialScienceworld specialist in polymers, Bayer MaterialScience supports Solar impulse with high-tech materials and energy-saving lightweight products.
Altranthe project’s engineering partner, a leader in innovation consulting, is making available to Solar impulse its human resources and its multidisciplinary, multisectoral expertise.
Swisscomthe national telecommunications partner, Swisscom is developing the tools which will per-mit communication between the aircraft and mission control at any place around the world.
the Geneva company Semper, the first company to back the project, the Clarins Group and Victorinox are supporting the technology vision, the thrust for innovation and the respect of the environment that Solar impulse is championing. Bkw /FMk (Forces Motrices Bernoises), toyota Switzerland and SiG (Services industriels de Genève) are supporting the project at national level.
Following the 2003 feasibility study, the EPFL (Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne) became the Official Scientific advisor, bringing to the project the competence of its various laboratories. For these knowledge explorers, Solar impulse represents a field of very high level research with innumerable potential applications.
Solar impulse benefits from the know-how of major aerospace players such as ESa (European Space agency), dassault aviation and iata (international air transport association), which have welcomed the adventure with open arms, as well as the support of EMPa, the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and technology.
MAIN PARTNERS
OFFICIAL PARTNERS
OFFICIAL SUPPORTERS
INSTITUTIONAL AND AERONAUTICS PARTNERS
OFFICIAL SUPPLIERS
VISION
Solar Impulse believes in the power of symbols. By writing new pages of aviation history with solar energy, including even a round-the-world flight with no fuel or polluting emissions, Solar Impulse is demonstrating the enormous potential of new technologies for energy saving and the production of renewable energies. This Solar Impulse initiative is both scien-tific and innovative. It is also philosophical, by virtue of its concern to heighten aware-ness in society of the need to be sparing with our planet’s energy resources.
AIRPLANE With the giant wingspan of an Airbus A340 and a miniscule weight, that of an average car, the HB-SIA prototype presents constructional and aerodynamic features never before encountered. Carbon fibre structure, propulsion chain, flight envelope and instrumentation, ever ything has been rethought and designed to save energy, resist high altitude factors hostile to both materials and pilot, and to combine the constraints of weight with the need for strength.
TESTS AND VIRTUAL FLIGHTS
Calculations, tests and simulations are an integral part of each project phase. During construction, wing-loading and vibration tests allowed the engineers to fine-tune their models and then move forward step by step into totally unknown territory. In preparation for the first flight tests, a simulator was specially devel-oped to train the pilots to operate in the tiny 1,3 cm3 cockpit, and control an aircraft whose large span and low wing-loading result in tricky handling characteristics. The multi-disciplinary mission team simulated countless flights, in search of the most suitable weather patterns, to secure access for the solar aircraft to controlled airspace, and to prepare for landings at international airports.
ENERGY CAPTURE AND STORAGE
To succeed, the project must maximize aerodynamic performance and optimize the energy chain. The 11 628 monocrys-talline silicon cells covering the wing and horizontal stabilizer, each 150 microns thick, were selected for their lightness, flexibility and output (22 %). Their energy efficiency could have been higher still, but the additional weight would have pe-nalized the aircraft during night flight. This being the most critical phase of flight, the major constraint in the project is storing enough energy in the lithium polymer batteries, whose energy density is 240 Wh/kg. Situated in the four engine nacelles, these batteries weigh in total 400 kg, a quarter of the total weight of the aircraft.
STRUCTURE AND MATERIALS
Attaining a wingspan in excess of 63 m with a weight of only 1600 kg represents a major first in the world of aviation, as regards robustness, lightness and man-oeuvrability. Solar Impulse is built of composite materials, consisting of a car-bon fibre-honeycomb sandwich structure. The upper wing surface is covered with a skin of embedded solar cells, and the undersides of the wings with a high-re-sistance flexible film. 120 carbon-fibre ribs placed at 50 cm intervals give the wing its aerodynamic profile as well as ensuring its rigidity.
PROPULSION SYSTEM
Fitted beneath the wings of HB-SIA are four nacelles, each containing a 10 HP motor, a lithium polymer battery set and a management system controlling charge / discharge and temperature. The thermal insulation has been designed to conserve the heat radiated by the batter-ies and so keep them functioning despite the -40°C encountered at 8500 meters. Each engine is fitted with a reduction gear that restricts each 3,5 meters diameter, twin-bladed propeller to an RPM in the range of 200-400.
ENERGY RESOURCES
At midday, each m² of land surface receives the equivalent of 1000 watts, or 1,3 horse-power of light power. But over 24 hours this averages out at just 250 W/m². With 200 m² of photovoltaic cells and 12 % total efficiency of the propulsion chain, HB-SIA’s four engines achieve on aver-age only 8 HP or 6 KW – roughly the amount of power the Wright brothers had available to them in 1903 when they made their first powered flight. And it is with this energy, optimized from the solar panel to the propeller by the efforts of an entire team, that Solar Impulse managed to fly day and night without fuel!
TECHNICAL DATASHEET
Wingspan 63,40 m
Length 21,85 m
Height 6,40 m
Power source 4 x 10 HP electric engines
Solar cells 11 628 (10 748 on the wing, 880 on the horizontal stabilizer)
Weight 1600 kg
Average flying speed 70 km/h
Take-off speed 44 km/h
Stalling speed 35 km/h
Maximum cruising altitude 8500 m(27 900 ft)
3 World Records in the solar-powered aircraft category: Duration (26 h, 10 min, 19 sec); Absolute altitude (9235 m, 30 300 ft); Gain of height (8744 m, 28 688 ft)
THE ZERO FUEL AIRPLANE
NIGHT FLYING THANKS TO THE SUN…
CHALLENGE
To produce an aircraft that will take off and fly autonomously both day and night, propelled only by solar energy, is a tre-mendous challenge that required the optimization of new kinds of technology and a drastic reduction in energy con-sumption. Solar Impulse’s 70 engineers and technicians, supported by a hundred or so experts and advisers, have had to apply highly innovative aeronautical solu-tions. Whilst not the first solar aircraft project, Solar Impulse is certainly the most ambitious. With its successful flight through night and day, the HB-SIA proto-type became the first aircraft to come close to perpetual flight.
FIRST OBJECTIVE ACHIEVED – THE NIGHT FLIGHT!
By flying night and day without any fuel, the HB-SIA prototype flown by Andre Borschberg validated the digital simulations and technological choices, above all lending credibility to Bertrand Piccard’s message: “Today’s technologies – if only governments had the courage to promote them on a massive scale – would allow us to reduce our dependence on fossil energies significantly. It’s not only the environment that would be a winner. Job creation and purchasing power would also benefit from opening up these fascinating development perspectives.”
This success has caught the attention of numerous political decision-makers and parlia-mentary commissions. They are expressing interest in using Solar Impulse as an example, to encourage the launch of more ambitious policies for energy and the environment.
To support these initiatives, the Solar Impulse Foundation has launched an educational program to encourage young people to embrace the pioneering spirit
FIRST DAY/NIGHT SOLAR FLIGHT IN HISTORY
> The wingspan of an Airbus A340, in order to minimize induced drag and offer maximum possible surface area for the solar cells
> The weight of a family car – every unnecessary gram has been eliminated in order to build a super-light aircraft
> The average power of a scooter, after optimizing to the extreme the entire energy chain
> Seven years of calculation, simulation, construction and testing
> A multidisciplinary team with 70 specialists, 80 partners and about a hundred advisers
Dependence on fossil energies is no longer inevitable
Alternative energy coupled with new technology can achieve what seemed impossible
More than an airplane – a state of mind to encourage energy saving
VISION
Solar Impulse believes in the power of symbols. By writing new pages of aviation history with solar energy, including even a round-the-world flight with no fuel or polluting emissions, Solar Impulse is demonstrating the enormous potential of new technologies for energy saving and the production of renewable energies. This Solar Impulse initiative is both scien-tific and innovative. It is also philosophical, by virtue of its concern to heighten aware-ness in society of the need to be sparing with our planet’s energy resources.
AIRPLANE With the giant wingspan of an Airbus A340 and a miniscule weight, that of an average car, the HB-SIA prototype presents constructional and aerodynamic features never before encountered. Carbon fibre structure, propulsion chain, flight envelope and instrumentation, ever ything has been rethought and designed to save energy, resist high altitude factors hostile to both materials and pilot, and to combine the constraints of weight with the need for strength.
TESTS AND VIRTUAL FLIGHTS
Calculations, tests and simulations are an integral part of each project phase. During construction, wing-loading and vibration tests allowed the engineers to fine-tune their models and then move forward step by step into totally unknown territory. In preparation for the first flight tests, a simulator was specially devel-oped to train the pilots to operate in the tiny 1,3 cm3 cockpit, and control an aircraft whose large span and low wing-loading result in tricky handling characteristics. The multi-disciplinary mission team simulated countless flights, in search of the most suitable weather patterns, to secure access for the solar aircraft to controlled airspace, and to prepare for landings at international airports.
ENERGY CAPTURE AND STORAGE
To succeed, the project must maximize aerodynamic performance and optimize the energy chain. The 11 628 monocrys-talline silicon cells covering the wing and horizontal stabilizer, each 150 microns thick, were selected for their lightness, flexibility and output (22 %). Their energy efficiency could have been higher still, but the additional weight would have pe-nalized the aircraft during night flight. This being the most critical phase of flight, the major constraint in the project is storing enough energy in the lithium polymer batteries, whose energy density is 240 Wh/kg. Situated in the four engine nacelles, these batteries weigh in total 400 kg, a quarter of the total weight of the aircraft.
STRUCTURE AND MATERIALS
Attaining a wingspan in excess of 63 m with a weight of only 1600 kg represents a major first in the world of aviation, as regards robustness, lightness and man-oeuvrability. Solar Impulse is built of composite materials, consisting of a car-bon fibre-honeycomb sandwich structure. The upper wing surface is covered with a skin of embedded solar cells, and the undersides of the wings with a high-re-sistance flexible film. 120 carbon-fibre ribs placed at 50 cm intervals give the wing its aerodynamic profile as well as ensuring its rigidity.
PROPULSION SYSTEM
Fitted beneath the wings of HB-SIA are four nacelles, each containing a 10 HP motor, a lithium polymer battery set and a management system controlling charge / discharge and temperature. The thermal insulation has been designed to conserve the heat radiated by the batter-ies and so keep them functioning despite the -40°C encountered at 8500 meters. Each engine is fitted with a reduction gear that restricts each 3,5 meters diameter, twin-bladed propeller to an RPM in the range of 200-400.
ENERGY RESOURCES
At midday, each m² of land surface receives the equivalent of 1000 watts, or 1,3 horse-power of light power. But over 24 hours this averages out at just 250 W/m². With 200 m² of photovoltaic cells and 12 % total efficiency of the propulsion chain, HB-SIA’s four engines achieve on aver-age only 8 HP or 6 KW – roughly the amount of power the Wright brothers had available to them in 1903 when they made their first powered flight. And it is with this energy, optimized from the solar panel to the propeller by the efforts of an entire team, that Solar Impulse managed to fly day and night without fuel!
TECHNICAL DATASHEET
Wingspan 63,40 m
Length 21,85 m
Height 6,40 m
Power source 4 x 10 HP electric engines
Solar cells 11 628 (10 748 on the wing, 880 on the horizontal stabilizer)
Weight 1600 kg
Average flying speed 70 km/h
Take-off speed 44 km/h
Stalling speed 35 km/h
Maximum cruising altitude 8500 m(27 900 ft)
3 World Records in the solar-powered aircraft category: Duration (26 h, 10 min, 19 sec); Absolute altitude (9235 m, 30 300 ft); Gain of height (8744 m, 28 688 ft)
THE ZERO FUEL AIRPLANE
NIGHT FLYING THANKS TO THE SUN…
CHALLENGE
To produce an aircraft that will take off and fly autonomously both day and night, propelled only by solar energy, is a tre-mendous challenge that required the optimization of new kinds of technology and a drastic reduction in energy con-sumption. Solar Impulse’s 70 engineers and technicians, supported by a hundred or so experts and advisers, have had to apply highly innovative aeronautical solu-tions. Whilst not the first solar aircraft project, Solar Impulse is certainly the most ambitious. With its successful flight through night and day, the HB-SIA proto-type became the first aircraft to come close to perpetual flight.
FIRST OBJECTIVE ACHIEVED – THE NIGHT FLIGHT!
By flying night and day without any fuel, the HB-SIA prototype flown by Andre Borschberg validated the digital simulations and technological choices, above all lending credibility to Bertrand Piccard’s message: “Today’s technologies – if only governments had the courage to promote them on a massive scale – would allow us to reduce our dependence on fossil energies significantly. It’s not only the environment that would be a winner. Job creation and purchasing power would also benefit from opening up these fascinating development perspectives.”
This success has caught the attention of numerous political decision-makers and parlia-mentary commissions. They are expressing interest in using Solar Impulse as an example, to encourage the launch of more ambitious policies for energy and the environment.
To support these initiatives, the Solar Impulse Foundation has launched an educational program to encourage young people to embrace the pioneering spirit
FIRST DAY/NIGHT SOLAR FLIGHT IN HISTORY
> The wingspan of an Airbus A340, in order to minimize induced drag and offer maximum possible surface area for the solar cells
> The weight of a family car – every unnecessary gram has been eliminated in order to build a super-light aircraft
> The average power of a scooter, after optimizing to the extreme the entire energy chain
> Seven years of calculation, simulation, construction and testing
> A multidisciplinary team with 70 specialists, 80 partners and about a hundred advisers
Dependence on fossil energies is no longer inevitable
Alternative energy coupled with new technology can achieve what seemed impossible
More than an airplane – a state of mind to encourage energy saving
PSE-C, EPFL SCiEntiFiC Park CH-1015 LauSannE, SwitzErLand
around the world In a solar aIrplane
tEL.: +41 (0)58 219 24 00FaX: +41 (0)58 219 24 91
GEt rEnEwaBLE EnErGiES OFF tHE GrOund!
dreams and emotions at the heart of scientific adventure
“Conquest” – the watchword for centuries – but today adventure means improving quality of life, durability, respect
inVEntinG tHE FuturEFlYInG wIthout Fuel For the first time in history, an airplane has succeeded in flying night and day without any fuel, powered for 26 hours by nothing but solar energy. This flight, on 8 July 2010, brought the initial phase of the Solar Impulse adventure launched by Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg to a successful conclusion, validating their goal of demonstrating the enormous potential of new technologies for saving energy and applying renewable forms of energy.
In its quest for the ultimate in technological performance and symbolic force, Solar Impulse has set out on the precarious and risk-strewn path trodden by all pioneers. Since 2003, a team of creative mechanical and electrical engineers, physicists, IT experts, and composite material specialists have applied all their skills to build this revolutionary aircraft, capable of coming close to perpetual flight.
arOund tHE wOrLd in a SOLar airPLanE
TRAJECTORY Solar impulse continues a long tradition of exploration, adventure and scientific development. By initiating this challenge, Bertrand Piccard is continuing his family history of adventure, from the expl oration of the stratosphere and the ocean depths to his own round-the-world balloon flight.For him, an adventure like this must serve to motivate society to face up to the challenges of our time by using clean technologies. the positive reactions to Solar impulse’s message already coming in from economic and political circles seem to justify this vision.
AN EPIC IN STAGES
One year of studies, four years of design work, two years of building and a year of testing were needed before the HB-Sia prototype could validate the concept by achieving the first ever solar powered night flight: 26 hours, 10 minutes, 19 sec-onds, with 4 hours worth of surplus energy still left in the batteries on landing, and 3 world records set. the lessons learned from the first proto-type are now being incorporated into the development of a second airplane, HB-SiB, which will attempt to fly round the world starting in 2014. the great firsts in the his-tory of flight, such as the crossings of the uSa and the atlantic, will be re-enacted, but this time without using any fuel.
DUAL CONTROL
two pioneers and innovators, both pilots, came together to drive forward Solar impulse: Bertrand Piccard, doctor, psychiatrist and aeronaut, who made the first ever non-stop round-the-world bal-loon flight, is its founder and chairman. andré Borschberg, an engineer and grad-uate in management science, a trained fighter pilot and professional airplane and helicopter pilot, is the CEO. the former’s avant-gardist vision and skills as a communicator and the latter’s entrepreneurial experience complement each other ideally.
“ Just imagine your energy reserves increasing during flight! to make this dream a reality, we had to make maximum use of every single watt supplied by the sun, storing any surplus in our batteries. we tracked down every possible source of energy efficiency. By tapping into each team member’s experience and using the combined potential of them all, we managed to find the solutions.” andré Borschberg
UNCONDITIONAL PARTNERSSolar Impulse brings together an entire family of partners who share the project’s pioneering spirit, guarantee its feasibility and are committed to promoting renewable energies.
Solar impulse’s partners all have a pioneering spirit, a long-term vision and a desire to explore new horizons. above all they share the basic values of this human adventure: exploration, technological innovation, entrepreneurial excellence, passion, teamwork, dream and emotion. Like Solar impulse’s initiators, they want to use these values to promote renewable energies and the technology necessary for protecting the environ-ment. they are contributing to the success of this adventure by financing the aircraft and providing support in their particular fields of expertise.
“ Solar impulse was not built to carry passen-gers, but to carry messages. we want to show what can be achieved using clean technologies, to reduce our society’s dependence on fossil energies. what we can achieve in the air, anyone can do on the ground, in their everyday lives.” Bertrand piccard
Shaping tomorrow through the power of innovation and the pioneering spirit
SolarMax – La Semeuse (coffee) – Hirslanden Private Hospital Group – Vacuumschmelze – decision Sa – nestlé Health Science – Lantal – SunPower
Solvaythe first main partner to sign up for the Solar impulse adventure was Solvay. this international chemicals group is well known for its plastics and polymers and for its development of new materials and innovative technological solutions.
OmegaFrom the moon to the sun. For Omega, partnering this challenge is an opportunity to set out once again on the route of the pioneers and re-live an adventure which com-bines passion and avant-garde technological innovation, whilst bringing to the project its own expertise in micromechanics and microelectronics.
Deutsche Bank a door to the world of finance and industry, deutsche Bank brings to the project its experi-ence of sustainable development, its passion for performance and its long-term vision which lend credibility to the fundamental and necessary link between economics and ecology.
SchindlerBy embedding its engineers in the Solar impulse project, Schindler again proves its «can-do» attitude and spirit of innovation, at the technological forefront for sustainable mobility. as a leading global elevator and escalator provider and a technology pioneer for clean mobility, Schindler moves 1 billion people every day.
Bayer MaterialScienceworld specialist in polymers, Bayer MaterialScience supports Solar impulse with high-tech materials and energy-saving lightweight products.
Altranthe project’s engineering partner, a leader in innovation consulting, is making available to Solar impulse its human resources and its multidisciplinary, multisectoral expertise.
Swisscomthe national telecommunications partner, Swisscom is developing the tools which will per-mit communication between the aircraft and mission control at any place around the world.
the Geneva company Semper, the first company to back the project, the Clarins Group and Victorinox are supporting the technology vision, the thrust for innovation and the respect of the environment that Solar impulse is championing. Bkw /FMk (Forces Motrices Bernoises), toyota Switzerland and SiG (Services industriels de Genève) are supporting the project at national level.
Following the 2003 feasibility study, the EPFL (Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne) became the Official Scientific advisor, bringing to the project the competence of its various laboratories. For these knowledge explorers, Solar impulse represents a field of very high level research with innumerable potential applications.
Solar impulse benefits from the know-how of major aerospace players such as ESa (European Space agency), dassault aviation and iata (international air transport association), which have welcomed the adventure with open arms, as well as the support of EMPa, the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and technology.
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