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On Wings of Light

Solar-powered plane set to soar

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• Solar Impulse/EPFL Claudio Leonardi

• June 26: View of the unveiled airplane Solar Impulse in Zurich-Duebendorf, Switzerland. The innovative plane is created to fly around the world powered entirely by solar energy. With lithium batteries it will be capable of flying at night as well. Solar Impulse looks like a glider with the wingspan of 63 meters (207 feet). The wings will be covered with 250 square meters of solar-cells. The plane will take part in a series of test flights over the next two years, and based on the results of those a new plane will be constructed for the big takeoff, in 2012.
• June 26: Swiss adventurer Bertrand Piccard explains the Solar Impulse, an innovative airplane in Zurich-Duebendorf, Switzerland. The plane is created to fly around the world powered entirely by solar energy.
• June 26: Swiss adventurer Bertrand Piccard and co-pilot Andre Borschberg, from left, unveil the prototype Solar Impulse, an innovative airplane in Zurich-Duebendorf, Switzerland.
• June 26: Swiss adventurer Bertrand Piccard at the unveiling of the Solar Impulse, an innovative airplane, in Zurich-Duebendorf, Switzerland.
• An artist's impression of the Solar Impluse plane in flight.

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