Airbus Solar Panels

More than 85 space missions have flown or are flying with our solar arrays all of which successfully deployed in space and perform as expected or even better still.

Airbus solar panels.

During daylight the solar panels charged the plane s batteries which make up a quarter of the craft s 2 3 tonne weight. The wingspan of solar impulse 2 is 71 9 m 236 ft slightly less than that of an airbus a380 the world s largest passenger airliner but compared with the 500 ton a380 the carbon fibre solar impulse weighs only about 2 3 tonnes 5 100 lb little more than an average suv. Filling a capability gap complimentary to satellites uavs and manned aircraft to provide persistent local satellite like services. It harnesses the sun s rays running exclusively on solar power above the weather and conventional air traffic.

Airbus in germany provided the solar arrays ottobrunn and key propulsion elements lampoldshausen. It operates in the stratosphere at an average altitude of. The unmanned aircraft a 75 kilogram zephyr offers what airbus describes as local satellite like services and runs on solar power. Airbus defence and space netherlands has provided satellites with power since 1979.

One hundred percent success. That s about 200 square meters of solar cells. Airbus in spain provided control and electrical units and airbus in the netherlands provided radiator elements. A reputation we are proud of.

The solar impulse has about the same wingspan as a 747 airplane and its wings are covered in nearly 12 000 solar cells. Silicon is a semiconductor that conducts electricity in certain conditions while acting as an insulator in certain other conditions. Solar powered airplanes in 1981 paul maccready built solar challenger the first aircraft to run on solar power and flew it across the english channel from france to the u k. The pilot also climbed to 29 000 feet during the day and glided down to.

Just like domestic solar roof panels the solar impulse 2 aircraft uses devices called photovoltaic cells or solar cells to generate electricity from sunlight. In 1998 the remote controlled solar airplane pathfinder set an altitude record after reaching 80 000 feet.