Solar plane to fly at night

New sun-powered flying machine can go for 24 hours without landing

It's got the wingspan of a jumbo jet yet it only weighs the same as a Ford Mondeo. It might just be the future of air travel.

The Solar Impulse is a new type of photovoltaic-powered plane: large and powerful enough to stay aloft, it also sucks up enough power to stay airborne all through the night. Theoretically, it could go on forever.

Its wings are decked with 12,000 solar cells that provide the power: the design and drive has come from Swiss adventurer Bertrand Piccard and his business partner André Borschberg, who have just unveiled the craft after six years of development.

"Since the project was launched on 28 November 2003, billions of tonnes of oil have been consumed," Piccard explains. "The vision, the symbol and, ultimately, the entire Solar Impulse initiative, are unfortunately more topical than ever. Energy savings, the use of renewal energies and the respect of the environment will be achievable only by a general mobilization. Freeing ourselves from dependency on fossil fuels is the greatest adventure of the 21st century: an adventure that belongs to every one of us."

The maiden flight is planned for later this year, with a night flight scheduled for 2010.

For more information, see www.solarimpulse.com