>  http://www.theengineer.co.uk/1001671.article?cmpid=3DTE01P&cmptype=3Dnew=
sletter

> 63.4 =A0meter wingspan =A0 =A022 meters long =A0 =A01600kg

The trick with any round-the -world solar powered aircraft is making
it capable of maintaining a sustained 1000 mph :-). Once you can do
that you launch at dawn and 'chase the sun in flight'*, achieving
global circum navigation in daylight.

As you travel South or North away from the equator the trip gets
shorter and the stay-in-daylight speed drops. But, your PV panels need
then to be angled if you want maximum available output.

An "around the Moon" solar powered train is much more viable.
If I haven't missed something, and I probably have, it can be done at
just over 15 kph.

                    3475 km dia x Pi /30 days / 24 day/hours =3D 15.155 km/=
hr

Circum-Lunar solar powered aircraft would also only need to travel at
this speed, but getting enough lift may be problematic.


           Russell

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