Flying around the world without any fuel isn’t just for the birds.

不用任何燃料飛行已不再是鳥兒的專利了

Hey guys, Amy here for DNews. As fuels prices soar and the carbon footprint of air travel

嗨，本集DNews由Amy報導。油價喊得漫天高，飛行碳足跡

gets bigger, isn’t it nice to imagine a world where solar powered planes fly from

大增，試想，若能利用太陽能驅動飛機

city to city without using up a costly natural resource? Well, we’re on the way to seeing

縱橫於城市與城市間而不消耗天然資源，是不是很棒呢？其實我們很快就能見證

that dream become a reality. Next month, Swiss Pilots André Borschberg and Bertrand Piccard

美夢成真了。下個月，瑞士機師André Borschberg 及Bertrand Piccard

will begin a slow but steady flight around the globe without using any fuel. Their airplane,

將展開一場緩慢但穩健的環球飛行之旅，不使用任何燃料。他們所駕駛的飛機，

Solar Impulse 2, is entirely solar powered.

陽光動力 2 號，完全是由太陽能所驅動。

Solar Impulse 2 is a revolutionary single-seater aircraft made of carbon fiber so it’s ultra

陽光動力2號是首架以碳纖維製成的單座單翼機，因此非常

light; it weighs just under 7,055 pounds, which is about what a small car weighs. And

輕巧，重量只有3200公斤，相當於一輛小型車

it’s wingspan is comparatively massive. From tip to tip, Solar Impulse measures just

而機翼翼展非常長，這架機型左右翼尖的距離

over 263 feet, which is larger than the wingspan of a Boeing 747.

超過80公尺，比波音747的翼展還長

On those wings are more than 17,000 solar cells designed to recharge 2077 pounds of

陽光動力號的機翼搭載了1萬7千個太陽能基板，能充飽942公斤的

lithium batteries. The batteries store enough energy to allow the airplane to fly at night,

鋰電池；一旦電池蓄飽電，夜晚就能繼續

too, supplying continuous energy to its four engines. So it should be able to fly around

供電讓四個引擎持續轉動。這樣一來環球之旅應該可以

the world without stopping, right? Not quite.

不落地吧？但其實不然

Solar Impulse 2 is almost all wing. The cockpit is just over 134 cubic feet and can only support

陽光動力2號的機翼佔了大部分，駕駛艙只有3.8立方公尺而已

one pilot at a time. There are no facilities, no inflight meal service, and no place to

一次只能坐一位機師，沒有其他設施或飛機餐，也沒有地方

rest. So Borschberg and Piccard will be alternating legs of the journey. They will start from

休息，所以兩位機師將輪流駕駛飛機。他們會從

Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, then make several stops in India, China, the U.S.

阿拉伯聯合大公國的阿布達比出發，沿途停靠印度、中國、美國

and Europe before returning to Abu Dhabi. If everything goes according to plan, they

及歐洲各點，最後回到阿布達比。順利的話

should complete the trip in late July or early August.

他們預計在7月底至8月初完成這趟環球之旅

The flight is going to take a while because Solar Impulse 2 can’t fly that high or that

這趟飛行需要多一點時間，因為陽光動力2號無法飛得太高或

fast. After its unveiling last April, the solar plane made its debut flight in Switzerland last June 2014.

太快。去年四月陽光動力2號問世，首次試飛在2014年6月，地點在瑞士

It reached a maximum altitude of 5,500 feet and flew at an average ground

陽光動力2號的飛行高度最多1676公尺，平均地速則約

speed of 35 mph.

每小時56公里

This isn’t the first long-distance solar-powered flight these pilots have made. In the summer

此行並非兩位機師首次長途試飛陽光動力號，2013年

of 2013, they flew from California to New York in the predecessor aircraft, Solar Impulse.

夏天，他們駕著原型機—陽光動力號—從加州飛到紐約

It was also a slow journey, though not as slow; it reached a top speed of about 53 miles per hour.

飛得也不快，但也沒有真的很慢啦，時數大概85公里

It’ll be really interesting to see how this flight develops, and more interesting to see

觀察這趟飛行的發展很有趣，更有趣的是

how this technology eventually trickles into the commercial market. But it’ll still be

研究這科技終將如何打進商業市場。但距離那時還有

a while. This solar powered plane is the first of its kind and change doesn’t always come

一段距離，因為太陽能飛機是一項重大的創新，很難

quick to the aviation industry. Flying people all around the world is a massive business

在短時間內完全取代舊有航太業，這個產業的規模之大

that can’t stop while new technologies are introduced. So if solar powered planes do

在引進新科技時，現階段的工作不能停止。因此在太陽能飛機確實

become commonplace, not only is it a way off, but it will likely be a slow transition.

變得普及前，不僅是一大段，這還將是緩慢的漸進式路程。

So what about you guys? Are you keen to fly by solar power? Providing there was a washroom

大家對搭乘太陽能飛機有什麼看法呢？前提是會有廁所

on board, that is.

那是當然的

Let us know in the comments below or you can ask me on Twitter as @astVintageSpace. And

請在底下留言，或是發訊息給我至：@astVintageSpace

don’t forget to subscribe for more DNews every day of the week.

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