Solar Impulse raising EUR 20m - report

Some EUR 20 million (USD 22m) need to be raised for the damaged solar aircraft Solar Impulse, whose next take-off has been delayed till April, the Guardian said Monday.

The newspaper said that Bertrand Piccard, one of the founders of Solar Impulse, is back in Switzerland to “raise some money”. The aircraft flew a non-stop flight from Nagoya to Kalaeloa in Hawaii, breaking several records. However, its batteries sustained serious damage so the rest of Solar Impulse’s no-fuel flight around the world had to be postponed for 2016.

The solar aircraft’s trip began in March from Abu Dhabi with the goal to circumnavigate the world in about five months without using any fuel. On its way to Hawaii, it made stops in Oman, India, Myanmar,China and Japan. The next leg would be from Hawaii to Phoenix, Arizona.

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