Swiss pilot Raphael Domjan beat the altitude report for a solar-powered electrical airplane in a flight that took him hovering to 9,521 meters, or 31,237 toes, his group introduced Wednesday.
The SolarStratos airplane made the landmark flight from Sion airport in southwest Switzerland on Tuesday, benefiting from heat air thermals to transcend the report that has stood for 15 years.
The licensed altitude report for a photo voltaic airplane stands at 9,235 meters, or 30,298 toes.
The achievement is “one of those unforgettable peaks that define great human and technological adventures,” the SolarStratos mission mentioned in a press release.
Photo voltaic-powered airplane SolarStratos piloted by Swiss pilot Raphael Domjan is seen taking off on the Sion airport, on Aug. 8, 2025, throughout his first try of the season at setting a brand new aviation report by reaching an altitude of 10,000 meters.
FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP by way of Getty Photos
At cruising altitude, Domjan really crossed paths with a industrial airliner, SolarStratos mentioned, calling the second “a powerful symbol of what the decarbonized aviation of tomorrow might look like.”
Domjan’s flight lasted 5 hours and 9 minutes.
“I share this moment of joy with all the people who have been preparing for this achievement for years,” the 53-year-old mentioned.
The info shall be despatched to the World Air Sports activities Federation governing physique, which is able to resolve whether or not to validate the brand new report.
“It is the pressure altitude corrected to standard density altitude that is recognized as the official reference for aviation altitude records,” the SolarStratos group mentioned.
Domjan — whose firm bio describes him as a “eco-adventurer” and lecturer who pilots planes, gliders and helicopters — is aiming to be the primary to take a solar-powered airplane above 10,000 meters, flying on the identical altitude as airliners. If that barrier is damaged, the group hopes to go on and make a primary manned solar-powered flight into the stratosphere, which at Switzerland’s latitude begins at round 12,000 meters.
“This achievement marks a major milestone on the path toward reaching the stratosphere using only solar power — and already fulfils the mission’s goal: to capture imaginations with emblematic, spectacular challenges that promote solar energy and the protection of our biosphere and planet,” SolarStratos mentioned.
The front-mounted single propeller airplane, registration HB-SXA, is fabricated from carbon fiber to make sure lightness and energy. SolarStratos is 9.6 meters lengthy, and its large wingspan of 24.8 meters accommodates the 22 sq. meters of high-spec photo voltaic panels topping the wings, and permits for flying at low speeds.
The airplane, which SolarStartos calls “daring and finely engineered,” can take off at low speeds, from 50 kilometers per hour upwards. Its most pace is 140 kph, whereas its cruising pace is round 80 kph.
“Tomorrow can be better than what we have today”
In 2012, the pioneering Domjan grew to become the primary particular person to sail all over the world in a totally solar-powered boat, a journey that started in Miami in 2010.
“It’s important to demonstrate what we can achieve with solar energy,” the adventurer instructed AFP.
“The dream of flight is probably the oldest dream of mankind,” he mentioned.
“My goal is to show to the young generation of today and tomorrow that tomorrow it will still be possible to fly without burning any fossil energies,” he mentioned.
“This is what we want to achieve: it’s really to show that the world of tomorrow can be better than what we have today,” he added.
A warm-up flight on July 31 received to six,589 meters, surpassing the airplane’s earlier greatest in 2024.
Swiss pilot Raphael Domjan offers a thumbs up previous to takeoff in his first try of the season at setting an aviation report by reaching an altitude of 10,000 meters onboard the solar-powered airplane SolarStratos on the Sion airport, in Sion, southwestern Switzerland on Aug. 8, 2025.
FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP by way of Getty Photos
A primary try on Friday was rapidly deserted when the forecast thermals did not materialize, saving the batteries for Sunday when the airplane received to eight,224 meters.
In the course of the first part of report makes an attempt, the plane has to make most use of rising heat air currents to climb to round 4,000-5,000 meters. It then has to recharge its batteries at this altitude earlier than climbing once more.
Earlier than takeoff, the batteries should be absolutely charged utilizing photo voltaic power, and the airplane has to land underneath its personal energy — it can not glide again in on zero cost — and have at the very least 16% cost within the batteries.
If the flight is to be licensed as a report, all of the power used throughout the flight should have been produced by the photo voltaic cells. The present report was set in 2010 by the Photo voltaic Impulse experimental airplane, with Swiss pilot Andre Borschberg on the controls.
Extra from CBS Information
