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Concept
SolarStratos
Summary
SolarStratos is an aeronautical project aimed at flying a solar-powered airplane for the first time to the stratosphere. The SolarStratos airplane is equipped with solar cells but is not able to fly directly on solar power, thus is accurately described as a battery powered electric airplane that is equipped with solar cells; it is planned to be the first crewed solar-equipped aircraft to enter the stratosphere.
SolarStratos is a project officially initiated in March 2014 by Raphaël Domjan. It is a two-seater solar plane built by Calin Gologan with which he and his team plan to achieve an altitude record. The SolarStratos mission should allow Raphaël Domjan to reach more than , to altitudes hardly ever achieved with conventional propulsion aircraft.
This eco-exploration aims to demonstrate that renewable energies make it possible to go beyond what is possible with conventional modes of propulsion. Ultimately, and after the record flight planned for 2018, Raphaël Domjan and the SolarStratos team wish to commercialize the technologies developed during the stratospheric mission, in particular by developing stratospheric solar drones.
2012-2013: Constitution of the team and first feasibility study
March 17, 2014 : Official launch of the SolarStratos project
2014-2015: Finalization of the design and start of construction of the aircraft
Dec. 7, 2016 : Presentation of the SolarStratos aircraft
2017: First flight on May 5, 2017, at Payerne, test flights and preparation for the record flight
From 2018: Test flights
On July 6, 2018, the aircraft's left wing broke during a stress test carried out on ground.
From 2020: Record flight
After the project: Development of stratospheric solar passenger airplanes or telecommunication relay solar drones
SolarStratos budget is around 10 million Swiss francs (9.25 million euros).
About fifteen people work on the SolarStratos project. The CEO of SolarStratos is Swiss entrepreneur Roland Loos. Its president is the eco-explorer Raphaël Domjan, also the main pilot and intended to perform the record altitude flight.
Official source
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