Solar Impulse

​Part zero-emission experiment, part floating laboratory, the Energy Observer recently arrived in Paris on the first stop of its six-year, 50-country mission around the world. The refurbished racing catamaran is powered by wind, solar and hydrogen generated from the seawater through electrolysis.

The route planned for Solar Impulse 2 round-the-world flight has been unveiled. The first solar-powered plane capable of day and night flight, the Si2 will spend 25 days aloft spread over a period of five months as it traverses 35,000 km (22,000 mi) with stops at 12 locations around the globe.

The maiden flight of Solar Impulse 2 took place on Monday morning at Payerne aerodrome in Switzerland. The solar-powered aircraft took off at 5:36 AM CET, when the weather around the aerodrome was at its calmest, with pilot Markus Scherdel at the controls.

Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg unveiled the Solar Impulse 2 on Wednesday. The result of 12 years work, the ultra-light, solar-powered airplane will attempt next year to fly around the world relying exclusively on solar power to keep it aloft for days at a time.

It’s almost 2014 and time for a bit of aeronautical reflection as we look back at what new technologies promise us a hypersonic, jet-packed future of aviation and innovation. So let’s have a glance at Gizmag’s pick of the top five aeronautical achievements of 2013.

The Solar Impulse completed its historic American coast-to-coast flight with style, modified only by a torn wing.

The Solar Impulse team has deployed an inflatable mobile hangar for the first time to house the Solar Impulse for its stay in St. Louis as part of the solar-powered aircraft's 2013 Across America mission.

Last night, the Solar Impulse solar-powered airplane completed its first-ever transcontinental flight.

Solar Impulse is on standby for its first international flight this week.