The legendary solar-powered aircraft Solar Impulse 2, famous for being the first in the world to complete a round-the-world flight without fuel, has crashed off the coast of the U.S. The incident occurred during an unmanned test flight over the Gulf of Mexico when the aircraft suddenly lost power and fell into the water.
The legendary solar-powered aircraft Solar Impulse 2 has crashed off the coast of the United States, reports Gizmodo.
According to a report from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board, the incident occurred on May 4 during an autonomous test flight over the Gulf of Mexico.
The experimental aircraft, which previously completed a historic round-the-world journey, suddenly lost power. According to available information, no one was injured in the crash, as the flight was conducted in unmanned mode.
The story of this aircraft began in 2015 when Swiss pilots Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg created it to demonstrate the possibilities of clean energy. The giant, with a wingspan of 70 meters, weighed just over two tons and was covered with thousands of solar cells. According to the developers, it was a true technological flagship.
However, in 2019, the fate of the project changed: Solar Impulse 2 was sold to Skydweller Aero. The new owners transformed the symbol of ecology into a military surveillance drone. During its last flight from an airport in Mississippi, there was a "catastrophic loss of power," and the aircraft was completely destroyed upon impact with the water.
The creators of the aircraft do not hide their despair over what happened.
"We learned through social media about the accident of the Skydweller solar drone. The Solar Impulse team is saddened by the loss of an important technological flagship," wrote Piccard and Borschberg.
It was planned that after the completion of the tests, the aircraft would become an exhibit at the Swiss Museum of Transport. However, now the legacy of Solar Impulse 2 will live on only in the history of aviation.
The project started in 2015 from Abu Dhabi and lasted over a year, covering several continents and tens of thousands of kilometers. During the journey, the aircraft overcame challenging stages, including flights over oceans, using only solar energy stored in batteries. In 2016, it successfully returned to its starting point, proving the feasibility of flying on renewable energy.
In the editorial's opinion, the story of Solar Impulse 2 will forever remain an important chapter in the development of eco-friendly aviation. Despite the tragic end of the project, the aircraft demonstrated that renewable energy technologies can change perceptions of the future of aviation and inspire new generations of engineers and researchers.
