The Solar Impulse 2 isn't for those looking for a speedy ride. On May 12, the single-seater solar-powered plane, will undergo a five day, five night journey across the Pacific, from Nanjing, China, to Honolulu. It will be the hardest part of its round-the-world trip, which began earlier this year.

Prior to this flight, the Solar Impulse had only flown for 20 hours on end. There is little margin for error while flying in slow-motion across the Pacific.

The Solar Impulse 2 and it's predecessor, The Solar Impulse, have been in development for the last 12 years. The latest iteration of the lightweight plane is an engineering marvel, with carbon fiber, 236-foot-long wings covered in solar panels; four electric motors that charge onboard batteries, allowing the plane to fly at night when the sun doesn't shine; and a cockpit that doubles as a bathroom.

The plane travels at just 87 miles per hour, and it's extremely sensitive to turbulence and wind because it's so light (it weighs less than an SUV). But its creators, Swiss pilots André Borschberg and Bertrand Piccard are confident that it can make the trip to Honolulu. "We’ve never done this. Of course, we could measure, evaluate, and simulate, but it’s not done yet," says Borschberg, who will pilot this leg of the flight (Piccard will later take over for a four-day journey to Phoenix, Arizona).

In order to prepare for the trip, Borschberg spent three days and three nights in a flight simulator, practicing what it will be like to sleep in 20 minute intervals. A practiced yogi, he's developed yoga postures that he can perform in the confined space of the cockpit. He also plans to rely on meditation and breathing exercises. "It's a good way to learn to observe yourself," he says. "It's a technological exploration and also a personal exploration."

Read more.http://m.fastcompany.com/3045988/this-famous-solar-powered-plane-is-about-to-take-a-five-day-flight-across-the-pacific

White men, paying the price for technological advancements..

Africans, embezzling public funds..

Naughtysite:
White men, paying the price for technological advancements..

Africans, embezzling public funds..

We would get there one day

This is cool.