Captain Piccard unveils Solar Impulse HB-SIA solar-powered plane

You might have seen solar-powered planes before, but few of them come with as much world-changing ambition as the Solar Impulse. Launched in 2003, the project aims to demonstrate the viability of renewable energy sources by being the first to perform a manned flight around the globe using only solar power. The technology is nothing to scoff at, as the 200-foot wingspan features 12,000 photovoltaic solar cells bringing power to four electric motors. Captain Bertrand Piccard, one of the key men behind this project, is best known as one half of the first team to circumnavigate the world in a balloon in 1999. He hopes, together with partner André Borschberg, to repeat that achievement in Solar Impulse's next iteration, the HB-SIB, in 2012. Make it so, guys.

[Via Gizmag]

[Byzil @ Jul 3rd 2009 10:13PM]

So by having that name, he had no choice but to be a captain of -something-. And he certainly is going places we haven't gone before. Metaphorically speaking, at least.

[AMiSH PiRATE @ Jul 3rd 2009 10:19PM]

with that hairline & coloring, I'm guessing he went in the captaining direction prior to Jean Luc's debut.

[Dull @ Jul 3rd 2009 10:20PM]

Engage.

[error2k2 @ Jul 3rd 2009 10:53PM]

I love how "Make it so" was thrown in for good measure.

[cocoviper @ Jul 3rd 2009 11:12PM]

I was so ready to jump all over engadget for misspelling Captain Picard...and then I realized that this bald guy is REALLY named Piccard.

Amazing

[EI8HT @ Jul 4th 2009 2:44AM]

wonder if he named his plane Enterprise

[xconan @ Jul 4th 2009 4:21AM]

did he also act as the evil character emile danko in heroes???

[adf32 @ Jul 4th 2009 5:06AM]

In fact, Captain Jean-Luc Picard was named after the grandfather of Bertrand Piccard.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auguste_Piccard

The Grandfather, Auguste Piccard, made a record flight with a balloon to reach 16,200 m (53,152 ft) in 1932.
Oh, an Bertrands father - Jaques Piccard - was the one, who reached the Mariana Trench in depth at at 10,916 meters (35,813 feet) with the Trieste.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacques_Piccard

[KarlW @ Jul 4th 2009 7:33AM]

Yeah, well my ancestors discovered the wheel, invented fire and started the french revolution because they were bored.

[mike @ Jul 4th 2009 7:54AM]

My ancestors, I rather expect, were layabouts and hecklers like myself.

- Mike

[murmermer @ Jul 3rd 2009 10:14PM]

Don't forget to buy extra carbon credits- your going to need them with all the Solar Panels you'll be making!

[Jay L @ Jul 3rd 2009 10:14PM]

Pretty frickin' sweet

[strider_mt2k @ Jul 3rd 2009 10:15PM]

I was thinking the Technomage Galen from "Crusade".
(Peter Woodward)
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.peterwoodward.com/Gallerie2/mediafiles/l1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.peterwoodward.com/Gallerie2/pages/page_1.html&h=708&w=486&sz=36&tbnid=pGAtMJA49gbubM:&tbnh=140&tbnw=96&prev=/images%3Fq%3DPeter%2BWoodward&hl=en&usg=__BKQlzF_HW_OHuIOmJ4l3_DYi3q0=&ei=RLtOSu_qEY2vtwfdzb2uBA&sa=X&oi=image_result&resnum=4&ct=image

[DeoWulf @ Jul 3rd 2009 11:14PM]

The point was that his name is ACTUALLY Piccard (different spelling aside).

[strider_mt2k @ Jul 4th 2009 8:01AM]

Whatever

[all things considered @ Jul 3rd 2009 10:17PM]

cool stuff. probably not viable for any type of heavy payload, but it's on the right track.

[mithinco @ Jul 3rd 2009 10:19PM]

How many lights are there?

[lee @ Jul 3rd 2009 10:52PM]

There are four lights!

[CraigJ @ Jul 4th 2009 1:02PM]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjNKyoRudOQ&NR=1

[mike @ Jul 3rd 2009 10:20PM]

That's gotta be rough, though.
Because you never really know if you earned the Captain promotion or they did it just for giggles.
Kinda like being rich and meeting women... I imagine.
.... often.

- mike

[reluttr @ Jul 3rd 2009 10:36PM]

Hrmm its not the Captain Piccard I was hoping it would be, but cool none the less.

[LaughingMan @ Jul 3rd 2009 10:36PM]

Full impulse power! Engage!

[zman @ Jul 3rd 2009 10:39PM]

lightening storm approaching - evasive maneuvers!

[smp @ Jul 4th 2009 4:19AM]

If the storm is lightening, it shouldn't be a problem.

[Mr. Smiley @ Jul 3rd 2009 10:45PM]

When I first read the title I laughed thinking that it was a joke from the article writer, then I read the rest.. yeah I laughed some more.
But on a serious note, this could be the Wright Brother's equivalent of solar flight.

[Mitchell Oke @ Jul 4th 2009 12:09AM]

Had the exact same thought, too funny! Even more of a coincidence that it is involving something like this!

[pablo @ Jul 3rd 2009 10:45PM]

that's not captain picard that's jason statham

[Lee @ Jul 3rd 2009 10:51PM]

Make it so number 1

[Maeztro @ Jul 3rd 2009 11:53PM]

And don't step in #2!

[Ethos @ Jul 3rd 2009 10:53PM]

I'd like to hope that this because a Viable option to eventually replace all commercial planes for the next generation, Though whatever happened to that "Black Silicon" solar panel stuff we heard about awhile ago? Apparently it absorbs around 500x-Times as much power compared to the current panels?

[roosta.6 @ Jul 3rd 2009 11:09PM]

they found out it decomposed in bright sunlight. ironnnyyyyyyy.....

[andres @ Jul 4th 2009 12:45AM]

actually silicony (ba dum tish)

[sam @ Jul 4th 2009 5:25PM]

Well, you can hope if you like, but it won't be happening. The reason air travel is so damaging to the environment is that it takes a horrendous amount of energy. And that's the reason you need a 200-foot wingspan to fly *one* person using solar energy.

If you'd like to see more environmentally-friendly air travel, the best options are:

1. Balloons/blimps, which use much less power. Compared to jets these are incredibly slow, but may be an option for short hops where there isn't a rail service. However, I haven't heard of any commercially-successful operations for actual transport use (as opposed to tourist trips or luxury cruises).

2. Maybe hydrogen-fuel-cell electric planes (or those using another type of battery, but hydrogen is more energy-dense which is probably important in this case). Of course, this would only be environmentally-friendly if the energy used to extract the hydrogen/charge the batteries comes from renewable sources [or, arguably, nuclear]. I haven't heard of any development at all in this area, maybe there's some reason why it isn't possible, I dunno.

Solar-powered planes have good use for specific tasks though, e.g. unmanned spyplanes and the like that stay up in the air for ages.

[Boards of Canada @ Jul 3rd 2009 11:02PM]

Bald people are the future.

[Betito @ Jul 3rd 2009 11:09PM]

They already rebooted the original Star Trek, they should call this guy should the decide to reboot Star Trek: TNG...

[z @ Jul 3rd 2009 11:13PM]

But Picard has only one 'c' in his name!

[the4thheat @ Jul 4th 2009 12:06AM]

The family changed the spelling after they moved around after the founding of the Federation. That's why Jean-Luc has an English accent and a French name, duh.

[Thomas Prescott @ Jul 3rd 2009 11:38PM]

Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the USS Enterprise?

[Andy Anonymous @ Jul 3rd 2009 11:42PM]

Arriving fashionably late to the joke?

[Blair Mitchelmore @ Jul 3rd 2009 11:39PM]

There are two c's!

[David Landrum @ Jul 3rd 2009 11:42PM]

Hey Captain Piccard! What happens to the plane when it starts to rain?

:facepalm:

[andres @ Jul 4th 2009 2:44AM]

A.) the airplane flies over the cloud
B.) the plane uses its internal batteries to continue flight

[G @ Jul 4th 2009 4:26AM]

that's when he turns on the warp core

[wnr @ Jul 4th 2009 8:49AM]

The real problem is the lack of weaponry. This vessel has no way of fending off the borg.

[Phrank @ Jul 4th 2009 1:26PM]

@wnr,

That's okay, the Borg already has a solar plane.

[Daniel @ Jul 3rd 2009 11:47PM]

thus far…
5 to 3 on the Star Trek to solar technology comment ratio (16 to 9 including this comment)
sweet.

[sRc @ Jul 4th 2009 12:22AM]

the fact that you figured out the ratio is more amusing to me

[Captain Drew @ Jul 4th 2009 12:00AM]

Alls I know is that Captain Picard wasn't at the last meeting of the Captains Club, and he hasn't paid his dues since February. Plus he didn't make it to the ice cream social. I am THIS far away from having him kicked out of the club!! THIS far!!!

[Indefinite Implosion @ Jul 4th 2009 12:22AM]

Well I'm sure they'll get plenty of light, we all know what happens in 2012....
(then again it might not be a fiery end, in which case, these guys are STUFFED)

[obliviousness @ Jul 4th 2009 3:00AM]

geez I was thinking for a split microsecond...'hmm. Patrick Stewart looks a lot younger for some reason...'