Banque Bordier & Cie joins SolarStratos as new main partner
Raphaël Domjan and the SolarStratos team are delighted to announce Bordier & Cie, a leading private bank, as main partner.
Since 1844, Bordier & Cie has been protecting, developing, and passing on to future generations the heritage that was entrusted to them.
As partner, Grégoire Bordier, says: “Our commitments are therefore naturally in line with the preservation and transmission to future generations of the most fundamental heritage that exists: our planet. We are happy to support the SolarStratos mission and to uphold this ambition. Antoine de Saint-Exupéry perfectly illustrates this philosophy: ‘We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children’”
Teamwork, the multidisciplinary approach that gathers the best specialists, the pursuit of performance, innovation and the quest for excellence, Swiss know-how and passion, these are the common values and assets upon which Bordier & Cie and SolarStratos rely in their pursuit of the ambitious mission that they have set themselves.
For Raphaël Domjan, this partnership is more than gratifying: “Faced with a climate emergency, we must develop our capacity for innovation and demonstrate a pioneering spirit. The SolarStratos team is happy to share these values with the Partners and employees of Bordier & Cie.”
SolarStratos would also like to thank all its loyal partners without whom the adventure would be impossible. Thank you all for your support and for being by our side at the start of this new year.
Christian Skaanild, Managing Partner Bordier & Cie, and Raphaël Domjan
An interview with our CEO
Roland Loos, our CEO, gives us an interview and takes stock of the situation at the start of 2022, a year that promises to be busy and rewarding.
2021 has just ended, what conclusions can the SolarStratos team draw?
Roland Loos: 2021 was a good year for SolarStratos despite certain constraints linked to the pandemic. Not only were we able to achieve three important objectives on our pathway to the stratosphere, including: Raphaël Domjan’s first solo flight, flights in disturbed weather conditions, and flights of over two hours at high altitudes exceeding 12,000 feet, with the oxygen system for the pilots on board. But we also had the honour of formalising important new partnerships, that will accompany us in the years ahead.
In summary, we can comfortably say that the 2021 objectives were largely achieved. However, the challenges ahead remain numerous.
And how is the aircraft?
RL: The plane is doing well. Every winter, we use the time to work through jobs that need doing and improvements that need to be made. After two intense flight campaigns, SolarStratos underwent more substantial inspections this winter, including dismantling the steering, for example. This allows us to make sure that there is no hidden damage and gives us the opportunity to reinforce the plane where required.
From a technical point of view, we should soon receive the new, larger, and variable-pitch propeller. The new solar cells have been mounted, the optimisation of the solar charge controllers of the batteries is in progress (new MPPTs), and the installation of cockpit instruments has been completed. These improvements will allow us to know the production of the solar panels in flight, for example.
What does 2022 have in store for SolarStratos?
RL: We are planning several flight campaigns. First, we will test the new features, then we have two or three important events for our team and our loyal partners. After that, we will run the required tests in order to prepare the aircraft for flights above 30,000 feet, and we will continue with the flight campaigns aimed at higher and higher altitudes.
Happy Birthday Raph !
Raphaël Domjan, our pilot and eco-explorer, retains his youthful soul and achieves his wildest dreams while bringing a touch of experience that increases with the years. On January 19, he celebrated his 50th birthday! Congratulations!
Dear Raphaël, the whole SolarStratos team wishes you a Happy Birthday and sends you its best wishes for health, happiness, and success in your future projects.
New year, new flight: Raphael welcomes in the new year by flying electric
2022 had barely begun before Raphaël was back up in the air in an electric plane with his colleague and friend Raphaël Dinelli. Our eco-explorer declared it a successful and happy flight.
