Solar Plane Takes Off on Historic Coast-to-Coast Flight

[Donger]

http://news.yahoo.com/solar-plane-ta...135018073.html

A solar-powered airplane that can fly day and night without using a single drop of fuel embarked on an unprecedented flight across the United States today (May 3).

The solar-powered aircraft, named Solar Impulse, took off from Moffett Airfield near San Francisco, Calif., shortly after 9:00 a.m. EDT (6:00 a.m. PDT). The plane will now head south on the first 19-hour leg of its journey, and is expected to touch down at Phoenix's Sky Harbor International Airport on Saturday (May 4) at 4:00 a.m. EDT (1:00 a.m. PDT).

Solar Impulse is the first aircraft capable of flying day and night without using any fuel. The plane relies solely on its solar panels and onboard batteries for power. During today's flight, the aircraft is expected to reach a cruising altitude of 21,000 feet (6,400 meters). [Images: Cross-Country Flight in a Solar-Powered Plane]

Solar Impulse founders Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg will alternate piloting the single-seater plane over the five legs of the journey. Piccard was at the controls for today's takeoff from California.

[mikey23545]

Originally Posted by tk13

The Wright Brothers first flight lasted something like 12 seconds. The first automobiles didn't come out of the garage blasting at 100 mph.

I don't know what the future holds but you have to start somewhere.

Oh for ****s sake.

If we had already had jumbo jets and Mach 3 fighter planes in the air when the Wright brothers first flew you might have a valid comparison to this stunt.

[Cannibal]

Originally Posted by mikey23545

This represents a major advancement in engineering and science, not that silly political stunt that you're trumpeting.


http://www.popsci.com/technology/art...03/warp-factor

Last September, a few hundred scientists, engineers and space enthusiasts gathered at the Hyatt Hotel in downtown Houston for the second public meeting of 100 Year Starship. The group is run by former astronaut Mae Jemison and funded by DARPA. Its mission is to “make the capability of human travel beyond our solar system to another star a reality within the next 100 years.”

For most of the attendees at the conference, advances in manned space exploration have been frustratingly slow in coming. Despite billions of dollars spent over the last few decades, space agencies aren’t capable of much more than they were in the 1960s. They may be capable of less. 100 Year Starship intends to accelerate the process of interstellar travel by identifying and developing promising technologies.

Over the course of several days, attendees could join symposia on such exotic topics as organ regeneration and organized religion aboard a starship. One of the most anticipated presentations was titled “Warp Field Mechanics 102,” given by Harold “Sonny” White of NASA. A nine-year agency veteran, White runs the advanced propulsion program at Johnson Space Center (JSC), down the road from the Hyatt. Along with five others, he recently co-authored the agency’s 16-year “In-Space Propulsion Systems Roadmap,” which outlines NASA’s goals for the future of space travel. The plan calls for all manner of propulsion projects from improved chemical rockets to far-forward systems like antimatter and nuclear engines. White’s particular area of research is perhaps the most far-forward of them all: warp drive.

Put plainly, warp drive would permit faster-than-light travel. It is, most assume, impossible, a clear violation of Einstein’s theory of general relativity. White says otherwise. For half an hour at the symposium, he outlined the physics of a potential warp drive—walking attendees through things like Alcubierre bubbles and hyperspace oscillations. He explained how he’d recently computed theoretical results that could pave the way for an actual warp drive and that he was commencing physical tests in his NASA lab, which he calls Eagleworks.

It almost goes without saying that functional warp drive would have tremendous implications for space travel. It would free explorers not only from Earth’s orbit, but from the entire solar system. Instead of taking 75,000 years to get to Alpha Centauri, the star system nearest to our own, warp-equipped astronauts, White says, could make the trip in two weeks.

In the wake of the shuttle program’s termination and given the increasing role of private industry in low-Earth orbit flights, NASA has said it will refocus on far-flung, audacious exploration, reaching far beyond the rather provincial boundary of the moon. But it can only reach those goals if it develops new propulsion systems—the faster the better. A few days after the 100 Year Starship gathering, the head of NASA, Charles Bolden, echoed White’s remarks. “One of these days, we want to get to warp speed,” he said. “We want to go faster than the speed of light, and we don’t want to stop at Mars.”

Let me look into this when I'm not under the influence bro. I'm pretty ****ed up and what you posted looks interesting, but it could be total BS. I'll check it out soon.

[Cannibal]

But still though, these muther****ers are flying this shit without a drop of fuel. Why would someone be against that, unless they have an agenda.

[Demonpenz]

Originally Posted by Cannibal

But still though, these muther****ers are flying this shit without a drop of fuel. Why would someone be against that, unless they have an agenda.

Cause it looks like a Maxi pad with wings....including a fat ass vagina right in the middle.

[tk13]

Originally Posted by mikey23545

Oh for ****s sake.

If we had already had jumbo jets and Mach 3 fighter planes in the air when the Wright brothers first flew you might have a valid point.

What does that have to do with anything? You of all people being this close-minded is fairly surprising.

I didn't say we'd all be out there flying on Solar Airlines in 10 years. But all technological advances start somewhere. There aren't any other solar powered jumbo jets or fighter planes out there, unless I've missed something. Computers used to take up a room. Cell phones used to be giant bricks you held to your head. Nobody stopped improving those things because we already had landline phones, or refused to make laptops because we had desktop computers. I don't understand why anyone would be so irritable about this.

[Cannibal]

With Mikey being on a pacemaker, you'd think he'd be less political and more about the advancement of the human race. Mikey, quit being so bitter.

[mikey23545]

Originally Posted by tk13

What does that have to do with anything? You of all people being this close-minded is fairly surprising.

I didn't say we'd all be out there flying on Solar Airlines in 10 years. But all technological advances start somewhere. There aren't any other solar powered jumbo jets or fighter planes out there, unless I've missed something. Computers used to take up a room. Cell phones used to be giant bricks you held to your head. Nobody stopped improving those things because we already had landline phones, or refused to make laptops because we had desktop computers. I don't understand why anyone would be so irritable about this.

[mikey23545]

Originally Posted by tk13

What does that have to do with anything? You of all people being this close-minded is fairly surprising.

I didn't say we'd all be out there flying on Solar Airlines in 10 years. But all technological advances start somewhere. There aren't any other solar powered jumbo jets or fighter planes out there, unless I've missed something. Computers used to take up a room. Cell phones used to be giant bricks you held to your head. Nobody stopped improving those things because we already had landline phones, or refused to make laptops because we had desktop computers. I don't understand why anyone would be so irritable about this.

Why does everyone keep saying I'm irritable or pissed or bitter about this? I think it's hilarious, not a source of angst like all of you seem to be taking it.

The Wright brothers, working by themselves, fashioned a whole new technology for a smattering of dollars, and could barely get themselves noticed for a few years. A horde of scientists spending millions created an underpowered fragile slow-as-shit monstrosity and their accomplishment is plastered all over the news.

Look, solar cells have been around for at least half a century, and improvements in them have been incremental at best. We now have a multimillion dollar solar-powered glider that can generate as much power as a cigarette lighter.

I don't care who you are, that's funny.

[Chiefspants]

Mai hoarse can get me anywhere in dis dayum state, why wold I need anythin that can fly?



/1903

[mikey23545]

I fully believe that solar power as it is being explored right now is a dead end.

You want the power of the stars? Dump all this money being wasted on photovoltaic crap into fusion research.

[Cannibal]

Originally Posted by mikey23545

I fully believe that solar power as it is being explored right now is a dead end.

You want the power of the stars? Dump all this money being wasted on photovoltaic crap into fusion research.

I would've figured you for a straight up fossil fuel ****.

[Cannibal]

Night Mickey, I'm heading to bed.

[mikey23545]

Originally Posted by Cannibal

Night Mickey, I'm heading to bed.

Sorry I couldn't finish the debate...Had stuff to do.

As for your other post about me being a fossil fuels guy - not at all.

OTOH, I certainly believe that short term nothing else is as good...but I truly believe science will bring alternatives online in the near future.

I just think a lot of things people rave about right now are wastes of time - like photovoltaic cells, wind turbines...But I think there are some interesting things out there like using the energy of the ocean's tides, for example, to generate electricity, or possibly more study of geothermal energy.

At any rate, I'm off to bed as well.

[CrazyPhuD]

What are the odds this breaks apart in mid air???

[007]

Originally Posted by CrazyPhuD

What are the odds this breaks apart in mid air???

It is all we will hear about for a couple weeks.