Swiss solar aircraft SolarStratos has claimed a new world altitude record for a solar-electric flight, reaching 9,521 metres above Valais, Switzerland. Piloted by Raphaël Domjan, the 5-hour, 9-minute flight departed from Sion Airport and surpassed the previous record of 9,235 metres set by Bertrand Piccard’s Solar Impulse.
The feat, powered solely by solar energy and aided by local thermals, awaits official validation by the Fédération Internationale d’Aviation (FAI).
The milestone advances SolarStratos’ mission to eventually reach the stratosphere using only solar power, aiming to inspire public interest in renewable energy and environmental protection. The project, launched in 2015, follows Domjan’s earlier success with PlanetSolar, the first solar-powered vessel to circumnavigate the globe in 2012.
Source: SwissInfo
This post was published on 13 August 2025 18:39
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