Inspections, optimisations, and…
promotion
With over 100 flights completed and its biggest challenges on the horizon in 2025, HB-SXA certainly merits a thorough inspection — and that’s exactly what’s happening. At SolarStratos, hibernation never means inaction! Even when our prototype isn’t flying, the work of fine-tuning and optimising continues. Not to mention the teams ongoing efforts to communicate and promote solar energy as a key to a more sustainable, decarbonised world and cleaner skies.
SolarStratos founder and pilot, Raphaël Domjan, tirelessly channels his boundless energy into this cause that is so close to his heart. Thank you all for following our journey—your attention, feedback, and encouragement provide enormous motivation to our team!
Major winter check-up
After flying from Sion back to Payerne after the summer campaign over the Swiss Alps, HB-SXA was disassembled at the SolarStratos home base. Every part of the experimental aircraft is undergoing meticulous inspection. This winter, we will be working on integrating all possible optimisations, such as maximising the energy consumption of the batteries, to ensure we’re fully prepared for the challenges that 2025 will bring.
The first milestone of the new year will be a flight at 10,000 metres, the last step before tackling the mission’s final frontier: flying to the stratosphere powered by solar energy.
Raphaël Domjan at the forefront of raising awareness
Raphaël Domjan has had an action-packed autumn focussed on solar energy promotion. He met the public at the major Geneva event, Les Automnales, on the NaoEnergy stand—a specialist in solar panel installation, heat pumps, and solar carports, and a recent partner of the PlanetSolar Foundation, which oversees the SolarStratos mission. It was a vibrant exchange, full of energy!
Raphaël also participated in the Régionale Emmo de l’Association Progrès du Management (APM) in Lisbon, speaking at the ‘Exploration’ session alongside Laura Lange, a doctor of practical philosophy and a well-known columnist.
Breaking barriers for energy transition
On November 20, Raphaël attended a charity evening for the 101 Fund Foundation at the Cercle de l’Union Interalliée in Paris. This foundation, led by Professor Jean-Daniel Chiche, head of Intensive Care at CHUV in Lausanne, hosted an auction for which SolarStratos contributed an electric airplane flight.
Coming up next, on December 12, Raphaël travels to Angers, France, for the API Days Énergies! event. “This event is a great opportunity to share our experiences from PlanetSolar and SolarStratos to break down barriers to energy transition by exchanging ideas and solutions for a more solar-powered future,” he said.
Thank you, Bordier!
At Geneva Airport, right above the departure signage, there’s a screen nestled among the festive Christmas decorations featuring spectacular CGI footage of HB-SXA soaring above the Earth — a reminder that SolarStratos and Raphaël Domjan are preparing to reach the stratosphere powered by solar energy alone. The footage highlights solar power’s immense potential and promotes sustainability, striving for greener skies and a greener world. Our immense thanks to our partner Bordier for this incredible showcase!
