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2d ago

Raphael Domjan Breaks Solar-Powered Altitude Record With 9,521-Metre Flight

Flight data is being sent for World Air Sports Federation verification to confirm the new record ahead of a push above 10,000 metres.

The SolarStratos plane took off from Sion airport and flew down the Rhone valley
Pilot Raphael Domjan's record attempts are being made out of Sion airport
Swiss pilot Raphael Domjan describes himself as an eco-adventurer
Raphael Domjan holds his oxygen cylinder as the Swiss adventurer prepares to get into the SolarStratos plane

Overview

  • Domjan piloted the SolarStratos aircraft from Sion Airport to 9,521 metres on Tuesday, overtaking the 9,235-metre benchmark set by Solar Impulse in 2010.
  • The ascent lasted five hours and nine minutes and depended on warm air thermals along with on-board batteries recharged solely by solar panels.
  • The team will submit instrumented pressure-corrected altitude data to the World Air Sports Federation for official certification of the new record.
  • Earlier accounts reported different peak altitudes for recent flights, but SolarStratos’s announcement of 9,521 metres represents the highest claimed achievement to date.
  • SolarStratos is now preparing for attempts above 10,000 metres as a stepping stone toward the first manned solar-powered flight into the stratosphere.