Euro Airship is developing the Solar Airship One, a whale-shaped aircraft capable of flying around more than 25 countries in 20 days, with a planned launch in 2026.
Simulation of the first flight journey of Solar Airship One. (Video: Euro Airship)
According to Euro Airship, the engineering team is working diligently to ensure the first continuous flight around the world without the use of fossil fuels can meet the schedule. Euro Airship is confident that their aircraft will produce no noise or carbon emissions as it solely relies on sunlight and hydrogen, as reported by Design Boom.
Solar Airship One will be 151 meters long with an expansion volume of 53,000 cubic meters. Almost the entire surface of the vehicle will be covered with 4,800 square meters of solar film to fully collect sunlight. During the day, the aircraft will utilize solar power. At night, excess electricity will be stored in fuel cells that produce hydrogen through water electrolysis. To avoid issues related to using helium, the aircraft will include 15 gas envelopes, allowing for immediate response and prediction of meteorological events.
Solar Airship One will embark on a continuous journey around the world from west to east, flying near the equator, covering a distance of over 40,000 kilometers in 20 days at an average altitude of 6,000 meters. The entire journey will occur without any stops or refueling. India, China, Mexico, the United States, Mauritania, Mali, and France are among the countries the pilot will navigate through in 2026.
Solar Airship One will embark on a continuous journey around the world.
Euro Airship plans to enhance the aircraft’s independence by ensuring that the vehicle does not require any cumbersome ground infrastructure. To stabilize the vehicle, the company will develop a water ballast system and a pneumatic support system. Solar Airship One is the result of over 10 years of research and development, along with 3 years of design collaboration with 100 engineers from Capgemini.
Euro Airship stated that the flight crew will maintain regular communication with governments, international institutes, and schools in the countries they fly over. The aircraft will have 3 pilots at the controls. After the circumnavigation, the company will seek full operational licensing for the vehicle.
