First skydive from a solar electric plane accomplished in Switzerland

Team’s goal is to take the aircraft up into the icy stratosphere to 25km above the Earth

Published: August 25, 2020 14:50 Agencies and compiled by Devadasan K P, Picture Editor

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Initiator of Sun-powered stratospheric SolarStratos plane project Raphael Domjan is seen landing after a successfully World record attempt by jumping with a parachute from a solar-powered plane .Domjan was able to open his parachute in time and navigate it to the Payerne aerodrome. Image Credit: AFP

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SolarStratos solar powered aircraft prototype flies with Swiss adventurer Raphael Domjan and Spanish test pilot Miguel A. Iturmendi aboard during a test flight and attempt to break two world records at the airbase. Two world record were made during today's test flight, the first jump in history from an electric aircraft exclusively charged with solar energy and the first solar free fall. The main objective of the SolarStratos Mission project is to be the first solar flight to achieve stratospheric flight. Image Credit: AP

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Test pilot Miguel Iturmendi and project instigator Raphael Domjan take off for a parachute jump with the SolarStratos aircraft, a solar-powered two-seater aircraft in Payerne. Image Credit: REUTERS

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Initiator of sun-powered stratospheric SolarStratos plane project Raphael Domjan (R) waves prior to take off during a world record attempt by jumping with a parachute from a solar-powered plane. Image Credit: AFP

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Swiss adventurer Raphael Domjan jumps from the SolarStratos solar-powered aircraft prototype with Spanish test pilot Miguel A. Iturmendi aboard. SolarStratos took off from the aerodrome in Payerne with two people on board: test pilot Miguel Iturmendi and co-pilot Raphaël Domjan. Shortly afterwards, Domjan jumped from the aircraft when it reached an altitude of around 1,538 metres and cruising speed of almost 100km/h. Image Credit: REUTERS

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Initiator of sun-powered stratospheric SolarStratos plane project Raphael Domjan is seen during a successfully world record attempt by jumping with a parachute from a solar-powered plane.SolarStratos took off from the aerodrome in Payerne with two people on board: test pilot Miguel Iturmendi and co-pilot Raphaël Domjan. Shortly afterwards, Domjan jumped from the aircraft when it reached an altitude of around 1,538 metres and cruising speed of almost 100km/h. Image Credit: AFP

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Project instigator Raphael Domjan lands with a parachute after he jumped from the SolarStratos aircraft, a solar-powered two-seater aircraft, in Payerne. Image Credit: REUTERS

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Project instigator Raphael Domjan gestures upon landing after he jumped with a parachute from the SolarStratos aircraft, a solar-powered two-seater aircraft. Domjan remained in free fall for several hundred meters, reaching speeds of over 150 kph (93 mph) before releasing his parachute and landing safely. Image Credit: REUTERS

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SolarStratos is 8.5 metres long and has a wingspan of 24.8 metres. It weighs 450kg and is covered with 22m2 of solar panels. The project was launched in 2014 and the aircraft made its maiden flight in 2017. Image Credit: AFP

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