GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – It’s taken 12 years to reach this point, and the early morning takeoff of Solar Impulse on a round-the-world trip was as thrilling as expected. The press release from the solar-powered airplane team noted that:
The Solar Impulse team in Abu Dhabi along with the Mission Control Center (MCC) in Monaco, witnessed Solar Impulse take-off this morning to reach Muscat (Oman), before crossing the Arabian Sea to Ahmedabad (India).
André Borschberg flew Si2 at 7:12 (GMT +4) on Monday, performing the first stage of the Round-The-World Flight using zero fuel. Piccard will take the reins in Oman and continue onward to Ahmedabad (India). Co-pilots Piccard and Borschberg will take turns flying the single-seater experimental solar aircraft which is able to fly with perpetual endurance …
Capable of flying over oceans for several days and nights in a row, Solar Impulse will travel 35,000 kilometers around the world in 25 days over the course of roughly 5 months. Si2 will pass over the Arabian Sea, India, Myanmar, China and the Pacific Ocean. After crossing the Atlantic Ocean, the final legs include a stop-over in Southern Europe or North Africa before completing the Round-The-World flight at its final destination in Abu Dhabi, Solar Impulse’s official host city. During the 12 scheduled stops, the Solar Impulse team and its partners will organize public events for governments, schools and universities.”
The project has developed numerous educational ties but it is also closely linked to a newly launched effort to push for more clean technology.