1. Solar Impulse
8 Incredible Solar Airplanes - Solar Impulse
On June 26, worlds first practical solar airplane Solar Impulse is
unveiled. The airplane is planned to have 36 hours of non-stop flight.
Its a revolutionary airplane. The HB-SIA is the first prototype of the
Solar Impulse project. Its mission is to demonstrate the feasibility of a
complete day-night-day cycle propelled solely by solar energy. After
fine-tuning on the ground, the aircraft should make its first test
flights between now and the end of 2009, first of all at Dendorf airport
(canton of Zurich) and then from Payerne air base (canton of Vaud). A
first complete night flight is programmed for 2010 and will take place
over Switzerland.
8 Incredible Solar Airplanes - Solar Impulse
We have summed up 8 incredible solar airplanes (pro types, concept)
in this post. These airplanes someday are going to revolutionize
aviation industry.
2. Helios
8 Incredible Solar Airplanes - Helios
8 Incredible Solar Airplanes - Helios
The Helios is a solar airplane by NASA, used for scientific research.
Helios is a solar UAV with top speed of 27 mph and wingspan of 247
feet. Its wingspan is wider then Jumbo 747 jet. It has 62,000 solar
cells and 14 brushless direct-current electric motors.
Prior to its loss in an in-flight mishap in June 2003, the Helios
Prototype set a world altitude record for propeller-driven aircraft of
almost 97,000 feet.
3. Centurion
8 Incredible Solar Airplanes - Centurion
8 Incredible Solar Airplanes - Centurion
The Centurion is a lightweight, solar-powered, remotely piloted
flying wing aircraft that is demonstrating the technology of applying
solar power for long-duration, high-altitude flight. It is considered to
be a prototype technology demonstrator for a future fleet of
solar-powered aircraft that could stay airborne for weeks or months on
scientific sampling and imaging missions or while serving as
telecommunications relay platforms. Although it shares many of the
design concepts of the Pathfinder, the Centurion has a wingspan of 206
feet, more than twice the 98-foot span of the original Pathfinder and
70-percent longer than the Pathfinder-Plus 121-foot span. At the same
time, Centurion maintains the 8-foot chord (front to rear distance) of
the Pathfinder wing, giving the wing an aspect ratio (length-to-chord)
of 26 to 1.
4. ZEPHYR
8 Incredible Solar Airplanes - Zephyr
Zephyr, along with solar power, uses low drag aerodynamics to fly for
months at an altitude of 132,000 feet. Its yet another high altitude
communication platform with a 12-meter solar cells equipped wingspan
churning out 1 kW of power to five motors that drag it to 70 metres per
second (155 mph).
5. Pathfinder Plus
8 Incredible Solar Airplanes - Pathfinder Plus
8 Incredible Solar Airplanes - Pathfinder Plus
The Pathfinder is a lightweight, solar-powered, remotely piloted
flying wing aircraft that is demonstrating the technology of applying
solar power for long-duration, high-altitude flight. It is literally the
pathfinder for a future fleet of solar-powered aircraft that could stay
airborne for weeks or months on scientific sampling and imaging
missions.
Solar arrays covering most of the upper wing surface provide power
for the aircrafts electric motors, avionics, communications and other
electronic systems. Pathfinder also has a backup battery system that can
provide power for between two and five hours to allow limited-duration
flight after dark.
Pathfinder flies at an airspeed of only 15 to 25 mph. Although pitch
control is maintained by the use of tiny elevons on the trailing edge of
the wing, turns and yaw control are accomplished by slowing down or
speeding up the motors on the outboard sections of the wing.
6. The Challanger
8 Incredible Solar Airplanes - The Challenger
8 Incredible Solar Airplanes - The Challenger
Solar Challenger is an improved version of “Gossamer Penguin”,
designed to fly from Paris to England. The aircraft can reach an
altitude of 12,000 feet equipped with 16,128 photovoltaic cells giving a
tremendous output power of 2,600 watts. Its success gave way to High
Altitude Solar (HALSOL) drone project.
7. Sky Sailor
8 Incredible Solar Airplanes - Sky Sailor
8 Incredible Solar Airplanes - Sky Sailor
The goal of this project is to design and build a solar powered micro
airplane for autonomous exploration. This system, named Sky-Sailor, is
fully autonomous in navigation and power generation. Equipped with solar
cells covering its wing, it retrieves energy from the sun in order to
supply power to the propulsion system and the control electronics, and
charge the battery with the surplus of energy. During the night, the
only energy available comes from the battery, which discharges slowly
until the next morning when a new cycle starts.
This project started in 2004 under a contract with European Space Agency
to study the feasibility of a Martian Solair Airplane. The first
prototype weighs 2.6 kg for a wingspan of 3.2 meters. The 216 silicone
solar cells are able to deliver up to 90 W at noon during summer whereas
the power consumption of the airplane is 16 W at level flight.
8. Sunseeker
8 Incredible Solar Airplanes - Sun Seeker
8 Incredible Solar Airplanes - Sun Seeker
Eric gave shape to Sunseeker after years of hard work, changes and
innovations on wings of Larry Mauros SOLAR RISER, Paul MacCreadys SOLAR
CHALLENGER, and Gunther Rochelts MUSCULAIR II. The project kicked off in
1986 and was given the final shape in 1989-90 with help of Sanyo and
other corporations.
No comments:
Post a Comment