Solar Impulse Atlantic Leg Starts Monday

Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • Solar Impulse 2 is preparing for its longest leg, a 90-hour solar-powered flight from New York to Seville, Spain, piloted by Bertrand Piccard.
  • This trans-Atlantic flight is a critical step in the aircraft's global circumnavigation, aiming to cover over 20,000 miles entirely on solar energy.
  • The journey has faced challenges, including a prolonged stop in Hawaii to repair damaged batteries, and is progressing towards its eventual return to Abu Dhabi.
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Solar Impulse 2 is expected to launch from New York to Seville, Spain, Monday on the longest leg of its circumnavigation using solar power only. The flight was to start on Sunday but weather concerns delayed it by a day. The flight will take an estimated 90 hours and will be flown by Bertrand Piccard. The aircraft flew the Pacific in two legs with a prolonged stop in Hawaii to repair batteries damaged in the flight from Japan. Piccard splits the flying with Andre Borschberg.

The aircraft has been at New York’s Kennedy Airport since June 11 when it came from Lehigh Valley in Pennsylvania. After Seville, the plane will fly mostly over land on its way to the starting point of the journey in Abu Dhabi. By the end of the flight, the aircraft will have covered more than 20,000 miles.

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