VOA慢速英语20151 Solar-Powered Plane to Fly Around the World

 

Solar-Powered Plane to Fly Around the World

The makers¹ and pilots of a solar-powered plane will try to fly it around the world beginning next month.

The plane is called “Solar Impulse² 2,” or SI-2. It arrived in pieces recently in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. The plane’s material is mostly plastic strengthened with lightweight glass. It is now being assembled and prepared for its journey around the globe. The SI-2 team plans to circumnavigate the Earth in 25 flying days over a five month period.

The idea was first tested by Solar Impulse 1 in 2012. Pilots flew the plane on an intercontinental flight from Switzerland to Morocco. And in the summer of 2013, the plane was flown across the United States, from San Francisco to New York City.

The plane’s wings are 72 meters across. They are covered with more than 17,000 solar cells. These special energy storage containers provide power to the batteries that permit the plane’s four electric motors to operate at night.

Only one person can sit in the SI-2. In March, the first pilot will take off from Abu Dhabi and fly along the equator³, where the sun’s rays are strongest. The plane will land every few days so that the two pilots can take turns flying it.   

Bertrand Piccard is one of the pilots. He also helped create the project. He says the flight around the world will require that he and the other pilot have a lot of endurance⁴.

“It's very exciting for everybody, and we are also in the psychological preparation of the pilot and the team, because technology is OK, but you need to cope now with very long duration flights -- single pilot on board for five days and five nights; lot of stress for everybody.”

Andre Borschberg is the other pilot. He helped Mr. Piccard create the solar planes. He says that although a computer called an autopilot can fly SI-2, he and Mr. Piccard plan to rest or sleep for only 20 minutes at a time.

He says the number of times the pilots will be able to rest or sleep every night is difficult to estimate. He says they have trained in a simulator to have six to eight breaks in a 24-hour period. That is about two hours of sleep every 24 hours. He says that is not a lot.

Bertrand Piccard says the goal of the project is to show that renewable energy and clean technologies can be used in other kinds of projects.

“If an airplane can fly with no fuel around the world, can you imagine how this technology could be used everywhere?”

SI-2 is to return to Abu Dhabi in July.

Words in This Story

autopilot – n. a device that steers⁵ a ship, aircraft or spacecraft in place of a person                                                           

circumnavigate – v. to travel all the way around something in a ship or airplane                                                                               

equator – n. an imaginary circle around the middle of the Earth that is the same distance from the North Pole and the South Pole

endurance – n. the ability to do something difficult for a long time

intercontinental – adj. traveling or occurring between continents

simulator – n. a machine that is used to show what something looks or feels like; a machine that is used to study something or to train people

1 makers   

n.制造者，制造商（maker的复数形式）

参考例句：

• The makers of the product assured us that there had been no sacrifice of quality. 这一产品的制造商向我们保证说他们没有牺牲质量。
• The makers are about to launch out a new product. 制造商们马上要生产一种新产品。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 impulse   

n.（一时的）冲动，冲力，脉冲，神经冲动

参考例句：

• She wrote that letter on impulse.她一时冲动写了这封信。
• I don't know how to resist my impulse.我不知道怎样抑制自己的感情冲动。

3 equator   

n.赤道，（平分球形物体的面的）圆

参考例句：

• Singapore is near the equator.新加坡位于赤道附近。
• The United States is north of the equator.美国位于赤道以北。

4 endurance   

n.耐久力，忍耐力，耐久的时期，持续的时间

参考例句：

• She reached the end of endurance.她到了忍受的极限。
• The exercise obviously will improve strength and endurance.这种锻炼会明显改善体力增加耐力。

5 steers   

n.阉公牛，肉用公牛( steer的名词复数 )v.驾驶( steer的第三人称单数 )；操纵；控制；引导

参考例句：

• This car steers easily. 这部车子易于驾驶。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Good fodder fleshed the steers up. 优质饲料使菜牛长肉。 来自辞典例句