http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/ Engadget Comments for Captain Piccard unveils Solar Impulse HB-SIA solar-powered plane http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/Jul 3rd 2009 10:13PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/Jul 3rd 2009 10:19PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/Mar 28th 2011 11:30AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/Jul 3rd 2009 10:53PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/
Amazing]]>Jul 3rd 2009 11:12PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/
]]>Jul 4th 2009 2:44AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/Jul 4th 2009 4:21AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/
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
]]>Jul 4th 2009 5:06AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/Jul 4th 2009 7:33AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/
- Mike]]>Jul 4th 2009 7:54AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/Jul 3rd 2009 10:14PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/Jul 3rd 2009 10:14PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/(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

]]>Jul 3rd 2009 10:15PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/Jul 3rd 2009 11:14PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/Jul 4th 2009 8:01AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/Jul 3rd 2009 10:17PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/Jul 3rd 2009 10:19PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/Jul 3rd 2009 10:52PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjNKyoRudOQ&NR=1]]>Jul 4th 2009 1:02PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/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]]>Jul 3rd 2009 10:20PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/Jul 3rd 2009 10:36PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/Jul 3rd 2009 10:36PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/Jul 3rd 2009 10:39PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/Jul 4th 2009 4:19AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/Jul 3rd 2009 10:45PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/Jul 3rd 2009 10:51PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/Jul 3rd 2009 11:53PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/Jul 3rd 2009 10:53PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/Jul 3rd 2009 11:09PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/Jul 4th 2009 12:45AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/
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.]]>Jul 4th 2009 5:25PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/Jul 3rd 2009 11:02PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/Jul 3rd 2009 11:09PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/Jul 3rd 2009 11:13PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/Jul 4th 2009 12:06AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/Jul 3rd 2009 11:38PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/Jul 3rd 2009 11:42PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/Jul 3rd 2009 11:39PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/
:facepalm:]]>Jul 3rd 2009 11:42PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/B.) the plane uses its internal batteries to continue flight]]>Jul 4th 2009 2:44AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/Jul 4th 2009 4:26AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/Jul 4th 2009 8:49AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/
That's okay, the Borg already has a solar plane.]]>Jul 4th 2009 1:26PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/5 to 3 on the Star Trek to solar technology comment ratio (16 to 9 including this comment)
sweet.]]>Jul 3rd 2009 11:47PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/Jul 4th 2009 12:22AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/Jul 4th 2009 12:00AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/Jul 4th 2009 12:09AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/Jul 4th 2009 3:00AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/
I will buy Joe Jackson the first ticket on the plane. ]]>Jul 4th 2009 3:00AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/captain-piccard-unveils-solar-impulse-hb-sia-solar-powered-plane/we can solve the financial crisis.
we can fight poverty and we can protect the environment
only by inventing the future with enough pioneering spirit

the technological solutions already exist
please don't listen to people that say it's not possible;
that we need more innovation, more development before we can have it on the market.
No; the solutions exist.

We need desperately: political courage...
Ambitious visions...in order to force the implementations of the solutions we already have.
Through smart regulations and ambitious incentives..."
----------------

Quite an interesting video, and quite amazing ambitions - and quite amazing to amass all the partnerships.

The Solar Impulse aircraft is seen as a symbol to change the mentality of people's attitudes towards renewables. They know they are not going to fly passengers with the Solar Impulse but realise that will is the most important ingredient in changing the direction of the technological path we are travelling in (they also mention the days of early flights not flying passengers, then years later flying passengers...).

Some can disagree about their claims of carbon-free flight (especially when you consider transport and manufacturing 400KG of batteries, solar cells, frame, instrumentation, etc) but this is an awesome endeavour.

They sez:
* Sunpower solar cells at 22% efficiency provide best trade-off for weight and efficiency.
* Entire budget: 70 million Euros.
...with a second airplane in the works.
* 160KG total payload (seat, cockpit, food, pilot, oxygen...)
* Doubling the capacity of the batteries could allow 2 people in the plane.
* development of custom software on the plane
* they still have no partners within in the computer industry working with them but they are encouraged to join

Nice closing statements encouraging personal efforts at efficient energy use and pushing politicians for change.

]]>Jul 4th 2009 3:32AM