Solar Plane’s 24-Hour Flight Test Was A Success – On Wednesday, an experimental solar-powered aircraft was launched and has landed safely in Switzerland after successfully flying through the night.

This achievement is a step toward the maker’s objective of circling the globe with the use of the power of the Sun to fuel the plane. The plane came out from the night with three hours power remaining in its batteries that indicates more energy was left than expected. The aircraft used supper-efficient solar cells and batteries to stay in the air after the Sun’s rays had faded.

The plane arrived at an airfield about 30 miles (50km) from the Swiss capital Bern at 0900hrs. (0700GMT). The four-engine aircraft was maneuvered by Andre Borschberg who is a former fighter jet pilot from Switzerland. The aircraft has 12,000 solar cells arranged on its wingspan which stored enough energy to power the plane for its flight.

The Solar Impulse team was led by Mr. Borschberg and fellow aviator Bertrand Piccard designed the aircraft and they say that this proves that a plane can be kept in the air continually around the clock.

According to Piccard, it’s the first time ever that a solar airplane has flown through the night. That was the moment that proved the mission was successful and that the team made it. The team will now create a new and more advanced model of the plane. They are aiming to travel around the globe by 2013.