In the late 1970s, the development of human-powered aircraft allowed the accumulation of experience in manufacturing light, low-speed, low-wing-loading aircraft. On this basis, the United States developed the “Solar Challenger” single-seat solar aircraft in the early 1980s. The aircraft has a wingspan of 14.3 meters, a wing loading of 60 Pa (6 kgf/m) and an empty weight of 90 kg. There are 16,128 silicon solar cells on the upper surface of the wings and the horizontal tail, which can output. over 3,000 watts under ideal solar power.
The world's first solar-powered aircraft, the Sun Ascension, appeared in 1974.
In June 1981, Airplane A of the American aeronautical engineering expert Paul Makridi flies from Paris to London using only solar power. This is the first time in the world that a solar-powered aircraft has made a long-distance flight. The solar-powered plane, called "Solar Pioneer", is approximately 9 meters long and has a wingspan of 14 meters. It is made of the most advanced artificial films, artificial fibers and plastics and weighs only 90 kilograms. More than 15,000 solar cells are installed at the surface of the plane's wings. These cells receive sunlight and transform it into 2.67 kilowatts of electricity. The current generated by the battery powers a small electric motor that turns the propeller at 300 rpm. "Solar Pioneer" does not carry batteries or other devices to store energy. If the sun penetrates the clouds, the aircraft will land slowly like a glider or wait for the sun to rise. p>In December 1980, the "Sun Pioneer" was tested in Arizona, in the southwest of the United States, flying nearly 32 kilometers and reaching an altitude of more than 900 meters during a Paris-London flight. , the aircraft's range was multiplied by nine and its altitude by three.A solar-powered aircraft built before the "Solar Pioneer" was called the "Wandering Condor". The plane was much smaller and had a much simpler structure than this one. According to the design, the flight height is only a few meters. In August 1980, the "Erotic Condor" successfully completed a test flight at Edwards Air Force Base in California. The pilots of the two planes, "Erotic Condor" and "Sun Pioneer", are Ms Jenny Brown, 32 years old. She is a teacher in California.
The world's first solar-powered aircraft was the Sun Soaring, which appeared in 1974. However, due to relatively backward technology at the time, it required a lot of manpower and material resources to build this solar plane. Fortunately, this solar plane has a long lifespan and has not suffered any damage so far. It is also worth mentioning that although the Sun Soaring is equipped with more than 500 solar cells, the fuselage of the Sun Soaring is very small, much smaller than an ordinary plane.
1. Who is the designer of Sunrise?
The designer of the Sunrise is Larry Morrow. Larry Morrow is an American pilot Because he is particularly interested in solar-powered airplanes, Larry Morrow created.built a solar-powered airplane. During the Sun Ascension test drive, Larry Morrow drove the Sun Ascension to take off from Fairabaugh Airport, flying 40 feet to the ground at an altitude of 2,600 feet. A minute later, the plane landed slowly. Although the design of Sun Soaring is very simple and has no manned function, Sun Soaring ushers in the era of solar-powered aircraft and is of great significance to the aviation industry.
2. What materials are used in Sun Gaosheng?
The main material used in Sun Gaosheng is solar cells. In total, 500 cellsSolar panels are installed on both wings of the Sun Rise, giving it more powerful power. Although the Sun Soaring is equipped with more than 500 solar cells, the weight of the Sun Soaring is relatively light, only 57 kilograms. This is because the outer cover of the Sun Soaring is made of plastic products, so its weight is relatively light.
3. Can Sun Gaosheng still fly?
Although there is no obvious damage to Sun Gaosheng's appearance, due to this is not the case. very convenient and has low power, so the Sun High Rise cannot fly now. The Sun Soaring is currently housed at the American Museum of Flight and is only accessible to visitors. Despite this, the Aviation Museum will still maintain the Sun Soaring on a regular basis. After all, the Sun Soaring is the world's first solar-powered aircraft. and is a symbol of the progress of the human eraborn.