Mission: Possible; Solar-Powered Plane Completes Round-the-World Journey

Solar Impulse 2, the first solar-powered aircraft built by humans, has successfully completed its round-the-world journey without using any energy source other than sunlight. Solar Impulse 2 landed in the United Arab Emirates on July 27 at 4:05 AM, marking the successful conclusion of a significant scientific achievement. The final leg of this solar aircraft's journey was from Cairo, taking 48 hours to reach Abu Dhabi. The journey of Solar Impulse began on May 8, 2015, covering a distance of 2,763 kilometers. The first significant record for this aircraft was broken in July of the same year when the pilots successfully completed a 120-hour non-stop flight over the Pacific Ocean without refueling. Bertrand Piccard, one of the pilots, stated at that time, 'You can imagine that a solar airplane, without using fossil fuel, has traveled further than a conventional airplane... This is a clear message that clean energy can make impossible goals possible.' With the start of summer, one of the longest segments of this solar aircraft's journey began over the Atlantic Ocean, lasting 90 hours. Solar Impulse 2 is powered by 17,000 solar cells embedded in its wings. This single-seater aircraft has two pilots, Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg, who have alternately piloted it. Despite having space for only one occupant, its wings span as wide as a Boeing 747. Due to its slow speed and the long flight paths, the pilots underwent meditation and hypnosis training before embarking on this unprecedented mission. Three years ago, Bertrand and André had successfully flown the prototype of this aircraft over the United States. Now they have completed a journey that brings new hope for ongoing efforts to replace fossil fuels with clean energy, or in other words, to create a cleaner Earth for its inhabitants.