Solar Impulse 2, the solar-powered airplane that successfully crossed the Pacific from Japan to Hawaii two weeks ago, will stay on the ground for at least two to three more weeks to repair “irreversible” damage to its batteries, the team has announced. During the record-breaking five-day oceanic flight, the batteries overheated due to over-insulation. There was no way to cool the batteries adequately while maintaining the required daily ascent to 28,000 feet, after descending overnight. “The damage to certain parts of the batteries is irreversible and will require repairs and replacements that will take several weeks to work through,” according to the team website. The aircraft is parked in a hangar at Kalaeloa Airport on the island of Oahu.
While the repairs are underway, the Solar Impulse engineering team is looking at various options for better management of the cooling and heating process for very long flights. The delay is not expected to derail the next leg of the trip, from Hawaii to Phoenix, Arizona, but it could make the upcoming cross-Atlantic leg more challenging. If the delay stretches on, the team could miss their “weather window” for crossing the Atlantic, according to a report in the Daily Mail. In that case, the team would have to stow the aircraft in New York and wait for spring to complete the circumnavigation, which began in Abu Dhabi in March.
