ZEPHYR :

Zephyr-3, a propeller plane solarbetriebenes be in the coming months, the dizzying height of 40 km above the ground. The ambitious project to the UK industry, according to BBC Online the limits of aviation technology attractive. So far, only the Space Shuttle and experimental aircraft missiles this level. In the stratosphere should Zephyr-3 photos shoot a helium balloon. But Zephyr-3 from the manufacturing company QinetiQ, a commercial offshoot of the British Defence Ministry, will be more than a mere high-camera. QinetiQ will clean the propeller aircraft as a permanent "stations" in the sky. The Flying Wing flight should functions of satellites such as support of mobile telephony in remote areas, environmental monitoring and observation for environmental or natural disasters. Even military functions could unmanned aircraft. The biggest technical challenge is the night operation of the solar plane. The fact that the competition side of the pond as large aircraft in such works is not the British have remained hidden. The space agency NASA has a similar plane called Helios, which is already a height of 29 km reached. Only this seems to mark the definitive border of Helios to be. The British Zephyr with a wingspan of twelve metres and a total weight of slightly more than twelve kilograms because of its small size better for the greater heights. Increased carbon fiber wing and solar cells, a kilowatt power for the five engines, are the optimal conditions for the performance of Zephyr. One of the biggest technical problems has been bridging the temperature differences in these heights. By day heat up the wings by unprotected sun exposure extreme, with night temperatures falling to minus 50 degrees Celsius. A special lubricants had found that parts of the engine prior to protect these environmental influences. When starting up in nine kilometres altitude Zephyr itself is a passenger under the gondola of the balloon. Then the engines of a balloon pilots started and the plane will be reflected in the photo position before it rises in slow circles. If the final amount will Zephyr-3 with a speed of about 70 meters per second to fly. Within the coming months, Zephyr its maiden flight. It is clear that the British Airways Concorde to North America change its flight path, so Zephyr-3 free top flight.