Towards a solar-powered world
The figure released by the Swiss Federal Office of Energy for 2023 is striking—and exciting. New photovoltaic installations increased by 51% last year compared to 2022, reaching 1,641 megawatts by 31 December 2023. Solar panels operating in Switzerland now account for 6.4 gigawatts, supplying over 8% of the annual country’s needs. In 2024, solar energy will exceed 10% of Switzerland’s annual energy requirements, surpassing the Beznau nuclear power plant. The federal electricity law aims to increase this amount fivefold by 2034. The solar movement is in motion, and Switzerland is in the race with cutting-edge companies (see below) and centres of excellence like Neuchâtel’s CSEM leading the charge. SolarStratos aims to demonstrate the vast potential of this clean, sustainable energy source through its mission to fly to the stratosphere onboard the prototype plane, HB-SXA.
What an evening!
Titled ‘Solar in All Its Forms’, the name set the tone. On Thursday, September 26, SolarStratos and PlanetSolar Foundation hosted a gathering at the Payerne base, bringing together guests, partners, and experts to explore the latest advancements in solar energy technology. It was an inspiring evening. Many thanks to Laure-Emmanuelle Perret from LightSeeds, Pascal Rochat, Women in Power, Voltiris, Josette Fresard of Viteos, Sandra Gostanian of EXPLORiT, and all the other speakers that joined us. The event was enhanced by the poetic and musical touch of cellist Marion Devaud.
A radiant panel discussion
A highlight of the evening of September 27 was a panel discussion moderated by Alain Jeannet who led an engaging conversation with State Councilor Céline Vara, Payerne mayor Éric Küng, and Mathieu Aubert, head of the economy department for Neuchâtel canton. The future is solar, and it’s already here! “It’s a pity not all my colleagues from the Federal Assembly could attend this evening,” said Céline Vara. We’re counting on her to spread the word in Bern!
Solar and hydrogen:
The decarbonized combo
By 2026, ETH Zurich aims to meet one-fifth of the Hönggerberg campus’s winter electricity needs through solar power. This will be achieved with a pilot storage technology: excess solar electricity generated in summer will be used to produce hydrogen, which in turn will be stored and transported to a boiler. There, it will react with iron ore, producing elemental iron and water which is a storable energy source! This is truly something that will fuel the future. The Federal Council is also expected to present its hydrogen strategy for Switzerland’s energy future later this year.
Alpine views—worth the trip
Are you among those (including the entire SolarStratos team) who were captivated by the magical images of solar-powered, silent, carbon-free flight over the Alps? We never get tired of seeing them. And people keep asking for more! So be sure to check out the latest reels and souvenir photos published across our social media channels after our recent flight from Sion Airport. It was worth every moment!
Raphaël Domjan at Les Automnales in Geneva
Raphaël Domjan will be at Les Automnales fair in Geneva on Tuesday, November 12, from 16:00. As the ambassador for Naoenergy, the founder and pilot of PlanetSolar and SolarStratos will chat with guests and visitors at partner booth K28. Feel welcome to come and visit us!
Fantastic campaign above the Alps
Our Alpine summer flight campaign has come to a close without accomplishing our 10,000m objective. On September 18, SolarStratos left its summer base at Alpark, Sion Airport, to return home. Beyond the team’s inevitable frustration however, the immense amount of data and insights collected provide encouragement. HB-SXA is fully equipped to fly high, very high, and the team’s ambition of flying to the stratosphere powered solely by solar energy remains unchanged! The mission has all the tools in place to determine the best options that will make this iconic challenge a reality.
Des chiffres de cet été
The summer in numbers
Between July 18 and the return flight to Payerne, the team completed 10 flights, initially scheduled to make final adjustments, and then to attempt to reach higher than any other solar-powered plane before. Here’s the summary:
– 100th flight.
– Longest flight: 3h24m.
– Highest flight: 5,963m.
– A gallery of breathtaking photos and videos of flights over peaks, summits, and glaciers.
– Two flights over the Matterhorn, including this photo taken by Jean-Christophe Bott from the Keystone-SDA-ATS agency, and a flight over the Dent-Blanche and Verbier, where, on June 18, 2022, the first wingsuit jump from an electric and solar-powered plane was completed with Géraldine Fasnacht.
5,963 meters and then…
weather veto
On August 29, after charging its batteries to 75% and flying at over 4,000 metres, HB-SXA had to abandon the flight due to commercial aviation being rerouted through the airspace that had been reserved for SolarStratos by the Swiss Air Force. After this frustrating setback, on Friday, September 6, SolarStratos climbed smoothly to nearly 6,000 metres, its highest ever altitude. However, at 5,963 metres, high-altitude clouds and a lack of thermals put an end to the flight. After that with no favourable weather windows on the horizon and conditions quickly deteriorating to pre-winter mode with snow at mid-altitudes, it was time to head for home.
Unforgettable return flight
over the Alps
On September 18 at 16:00, HB-SXA returned to its home base in Payerne. As on the outbound journey, Raphaël Domjan flew over the Swiss Alps, sharing stunning shots of their extraordinary beauty. “We’ve learned a lot and are still as motivated as ever to go higher to demonstrate the incredible potential of solar energy in the fight against climate change,” said the pilot and founder of SolarStratos.
Thank you, Valais!
At the end of this Valais based campaign, the SolarStratos team would like to extend a big thank you to all the mission’s partners, sponsors, and friends for their trust and encouragement. Special thanks go to Sion Airport and Alpark for their warm welcome, as well as to the Swiss Air Force, Skyguide, and the Federal Office of Civil Aviation for their valuable assistance. Thank you, Valais!
ASolar power over the Alps:
A high-flying message
The SolarStratos summer show continues, oscillating between patience and impatience. We repeat to ourselves that while we all share the same desire to reach 10,000m, the final milestone before our ultimate objective of flying to the stratosphere, we must not rush. On an adventure such as ours, the stars must align before we try to reach them! On the technical side everything is in order. Our HB-SXA aircraft celebrated its 100th flight just in time for Swiss National Day – the only things that are now pending are the right weather conditions and the final administrative authorisations. Patience, patience.
On active stand-by
The whole team remains on active stand-by at our cosy VIP Alpark hangar at Sion airport, waiting for the right weather window and the necessary permits. While the famous Valaisan summer thermals have so far been slow to materialise, mainly because of the amount of snow that fell at the end of the winter at high altitude, the breathing system that our pilot Raphaël Domjan will be equipped with has now been approved by the Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA). The world record attempt is taking shape, meanwhile we stand-by with our fingers crossed.
A climb high into the Swiss sky
Authorisation from the FOCA for the flight level of 25,000 feet, or around 7,600 metres, arrived shortly before the end of August. Reaching this altitude will be another historic step for HB-SXA. Until now, only Solar Impulse has flown higher using only solar energy. Test pilot Gérald Ducoin will make the flight in the next few days, as soon as a favourable weather window presents itself. Other preparatory flights carried out this month have enabled us to verify, among other things, that the HB-SXA can land with a stronger headwind. A situation that the aircraft will probably have to face when it returns to land at Sion airport after the record attempt. Yes, we are definitely ready for the world’s first attempt at 10,000m!
Flying above the five 4,000m Val d’Anniviers peaks
“What a pleasure it is to welcome you to my office up here in the skies above the Swiss Alps!” Raphaël Domjan posted two photos of his flight on 16 August, writing these powerful words: “What an incredible opportunity to greet the five 4,000 metre Val d’Anniviers peaks in Switzerland propelled solely by the power of the sun. Thank you to all those who believe in our adventure and who have supported us all these years as we work towards a low-carbon world”.
And thank you Raphaël!
Happiness… shared
Sharing the exhilaration of this period of preparation for a world first, fulfils the mission’s objective to inspire, to achieve unprecedented and spectacular performance, and to encourage people to take the plunge into solar energy and a low-carbon world. Your enjoyment of these inspiring moments of shared happiness and your reactions on social media are giving us a boost: ‘Magnifique!’, ‘Nice view!’, ‘Work like this requires a lot of patience, we wish you success!’ Thank you all very much. Keep following our flights via the virtual cockpit. And let’s get on with the adventure!
Solar flights over the Matterhorn
The SolarStratos mission has been based in the Alpark hangar in Sion, Switzerland, since the 18 July and has been flying test flight after test flight in preparation for the imminent world record attempt. Every new flight has served to confirm and optimise the parameters, and to top it all off: we have a breathtaking selection of images of Alpine scenery. “It’s fantastic to be flying on solar power alone over the Alps,” said Raphaël Domjan. And returning to the landing strip while continuing to charge the batteries breathes new life into the mission’s message of harnessing the formidable potential of solar energy for a low-carbon, more sustainable world where we can continue to dream and to fly. High up. Hang on tight!
A stunning transfer flight
It had to be postponed twice, but on the 18 July, on our third attempt, we got lucky and HB-SXA piloted by Raphaël Domjan took off from Payerne, destination Sion via the Col de Sanetsch. The plane was welcomed to the Valais airport by a group of media who captured the beautiful landing live. To watch it again, please click here. Raphaël Domjan was also a guest on Channel 9.
The Matterhorn and Mont Fort really suit her!
On the 19 July, the day after arriving in Sion, HB-SXA took a trip to the Matterhorn. The resulting images of SolarStratos flying past this extraordinary landmark are powerful and highly symbolic. On the 26 July, Raphaël Domjan set course for Verbier, Mont Fort and Pierre Avoi to ride the thermals. He flew for an hour and forty minutes up to an altitude of 3,970m, and once again we were rewarded with some exhilarating images of the solar-powered flight!
The record attempt has caught media attention
Preparations for the altitude record attempt have caught the attention also of the German-language media in Switzerland with reports in the Aargauer Zeitung, the Bieler Zeitung and the Sankt-Galler Tagblatt. 20 Minuten in particular have reported on the challenges and the risks involved in the imminent record attempt. Please click here to watch the SwissInfo video. Agence France Presse (AFP) was also present in Sion, and the report was picked up by La Presse.
Such suspense!
To test the aircraft in the thermals, you must first find them. SolarStratos has enlisted the help of forecasting engineer and experienced glider pilot, Aude Untersee and the assistance of a reconnaissance motor glider to find the updrafts that form in summertime. The best way to maximise on them in terms of altitude, range, and engine power required, was refined and the team carried out a new flight around the Matterhorn passing from one thermal to another on the 30 July.
The team is continuing to work on preparing the aircraft and obtaining all the safety guarantees required for this very high-altitude flight.
So much suspense!
Since 18 July, our solar-powered electric aircraft has been based at Sion Airport, in preparation for this summer’s world premiere attempt at 10,000 metres over the Alps.
After this transfer flight from Payerne, HB-SXA has already flown over the Matterhorn, then Verbier and Mont Fort in particular, to check the plane’s performance in thermals. These development flights in preparation for the imminent altitude record attempt are continuing. Follow us and experience these sorties with us via our virtual cockpit and on our social networks. It’s exhilarating! You can relive the Payerne-Sion flight over the Col de Sanetsch here. Many thanks to Sion Airport and Alpark for their warm welcome, and a sunny summer to all.
HB-SXA to head to Sion to take up residence
“This time, the real adventure begins”. Both Raphaël Domjan and Roland Loos, respectively pilot and CEO of the mission, have spoken the exact same words on two different occasions. And as summer 2024 heats up, the moment for HB-SXA to take up residence in Sion approaches. This will be a key moment in the SolarStratos mission.
From mid-July, the SolarStratos team will be based at the Valais airport to launch a new altitude record attempt for a manned solar-powered electric aircraft to fly at 10,000 metres or more, marking a new milestone on the journey to the stratosphere. Once the plane is on the tarmac in Sion, and the final tests have been carried out, particularly in thermal winds, the team will go on standby for the right weather window.
Stay tuned if you want to spend the summer flying over the Alps: you can put yourself in the driving seat via our virtual cockpit.
A postponement…
Despite seemingly favourable weather conditions on the ground, the flight from Payerne to Sion scheduled for the 17 and then the 18 June had to be postponed. The wind and turbulence over the Sanetsch Pass were too strong to risk it. Our thanks to the media who were waiting for us in Sion for their patience. Some of them, such as Rhône FM, didn’t miss an opportunity to interview Raphaël Domjan about the relocation and the upcoming record attempt.
Already very high – above his hometown!
One of Raphaël Domjan’s recent flights this month saw him soaring at almost 4,000 metres over his native Neuchâtel. He shared his excitement at realising a dream, which sees “innovation and technology working together to preserve our planet”. The SolarStratos pilot took the opportunity to thank all those who are making this adventure possible by sharing his pioneering and exploratory spirit. “Let’s keep aiming for the stars, fuelled by the inexhaustible energy of our dreams, the sun and our thirst for exploration”. Beautifully put.
SolarStratos shines in France
SolarStratos is causing a stir among the French media. The imminent altitude record attempt has been announced by several French TV channels and newspapers. Raphaël Domjan appeared on the set of France 5’s “C à vous vous”, just after Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, with whom he exchanged a handshake and a few words before inviting the politician to come and fly with him one day. France Inter and the major daily Le Parisien have also highlighted the challenge scheduled for July 2024. In Switzerland, l’Agefi’s Be to B programme is also covering our adventure.
A breath of fresh air in freefall!
Flying at high altitudes where oxygen is scarce requires special measures and safety precautions. On 12 June, Raphaël Domjan tested his complete oxygen system in freefall, in case he ever has to eject from HB-SXA. He completed three jumps from an altitude of 3,000m accompanied by his trainer Geraldine Fassnacht, and everything went perfectly. The tests produced some stunning shots which we’d like to share with you!
A first-rate team
The traditional SolarStratos team photo was taken by Fred Merz on 17 June. Our photographer wanted to highlight the members of the mission in the foreground, and you can see them united around a shared passion: the HB-SXA at its home base in Payerne. Next stop: Sion. Onwards and upwards!
Back in the air
SolarStratos was back in the air in May for a second round of test flights in 2024 ahead of the 10,000m record attempt scheduled for the summer in Valais. Some essential tests were ticked off, Raphaël Domjan was delighted to get back in the driving seat of HB-SXA, and test pilot Gérald Ducoin flew the aircraft up to 3,300m (10,000ft) during a 75-minute flight, successfully completing all planned tests. Everything is in place to move the plane to Sion in June ahead of an attempt from mid-July to set a record for the highest altitude reached by a manned electric and solar aircraft. Stay tuned!
Free-fall test
In another crucial step forward, Raphaël Domjan successfully tested our free-fall oxygen systems at RealFly Sion. We’d like to extend our thanks to the entire technical team, and of course to LD Switzerland helmets.
Take off into the future
The Avions écolo, décollage vers le futur (Eco planes, take off into the future) documentary was released on May 15 and broadcast on RTS. Over five minutes of the programme are dedicated to our mission, including images of Raphaël Domjan and Prince Albert of Monaco’s flight in a Pipistrel – the first by a head of state in an electric plane. The German national channel SRF will be broadcasting a shorter version in June, and the show will also air on Spanish and Swedish TV. On June 18, ARTE will broadcast it at 20:15 in Germany and 20:45 in France. Peter Bardehle has captured the essence of our mission and we extend our thanks to him for working with us to promote a more sustainable world.
Elysée Palace reception
Jean-François Clervoy was awarded the rank of Commandeur de la Légion d’Honneur by French President Emmanuel Macron this month and Raphaël Domjan – a friend of the astronaut – was at his side for the occasion. He shared the wonderful moment across social media with this beautiful photo.
Spring cleaning
We had announced ‘operation spring clean’ and on Tuesday May 21, it happened! HB-SXA was given a thorough polish in the hangar at the home base in Payerne. Not only does this make the fuselage shine, but it makes for a smoother ride. Who would have thought!
‘The Birth of a Dream’ screened in Holland
The second round of training flights is underway and in a few weeks’ time, HB-SXA will leave Payerne for Valais, the location for this summer’s altitude record attempt. Meanwhile, SolarStratos continues to play its role as a platform for raising awareness and promoting a low-carbon world, this time in Holland at Anheim Electricity Week (25-31 May), where visitors will get a chance to watch the documentary ‘The Birth of a Dream’ that retraces the team’s pioneering adventure.
The title of this event really appealed to us: “Discover watts next in electricity”!
Watch the trailer of ‘The Birth of a Dream’ here :
A patron who will put stars in their eyes
Onwards and upwards young people! When you have your head (and a mission) in the stars, supporting a project that promises to put a twinkle in the eyes of children is a no-brainer. Raphaël Domjan, SolarStratos pilot and founder, has become the enthusiastic patron of the Maison Pro Junior. This former children’s home on the mountain at Chaumont (NE), known as the Basel Home, is now dedicated to the environment, young people and families. SolarStratos plans to run an activity there dedicated to young visitors. Watch the video with Yanick Boillod, President of the association, and its patron here. Or listen to the audio on RTN. To support Pro Junior, please click here.
Stay tuned for the big spring clean…
Spring-cleaning is not usually something that makes the news, but then, when it comes to spring-cleaning an experimental aircraft designed to slice through the air as cleanly as possible, the operation is bound to arouse some curiosity, right?! Stay tuned for more news on this in a few weeks’ time, we’ll be bringing you a blow-by-blow report in a future newsletter and our plane will be shining brighter than ever. Long live spring!
SolarStratos makes a splash in Le Ô!
On 26 April, Patrick Fischer, a former presenter of TTC on RTS, wrote a glowing article for the Montagnes Neuchâteloises weekly publication Le Ô. His feature describing the progress made by the CSEM-developed ultralight solar modules and their many applications ran in the Eco-Eco section. One of these applications is of course on HB-SXA whose wings and tail are covered with the flexible cells by CSEM, a partner of the mission. Accompanied by a stunning photo of the aircraft, the article is sure to make a splash!
Successful first 2024 campaign
The first flight campaign of the year went without a hitch to the delight of the whole SolarStratos team who are looking forward to what will be a key year for the mission. “It feels great to be flying again,” said Jonathan Amez-Droz, SolarStratos energy systems engineer. And more so in view of the altitude record attempt, which is scheduled for the summer, in Sion. Reaching 10,000 metres and setting a record for the highest manned solar/electric aircraft in history is well within the capabilities of the aircraft and anticipation is building. All the more so in view of recent performance and the latest round of tests which were almost entirely successful.
HB-SXA: letters and numbers!
Five flights have been logged, the first of which were undertaken in winter conditions, bringing the total to 75, including one that lasted almost 90 minutes in very little sunshine. The aim of this round of test flights was to identify the best possible climbing speed using the least amount of energy. And the climb rate proved a pleasant surprise with the climbing speed turning out to be higher than calculated.
“There is every reason to be optimistic about the record”.
Considering the most recent flights, Jonathan Amez-Droz is optimistic. “We have every reason to be confident about the summer’s record attempt. Of course, a challenge like this is never a given, but the performance and all indications are positive.” And there is further good news: “Even with the new battery configuration, we were able to fly twice in one day, which demonstrates that the aircraft has retained its flexibility.” In short: we’re flying again! So, stay posted for our next round of flights in mid-April. Next time we will be aiming to fly higher than ever before in the skies above Payerne.
“An aerial view of Neuchâtel please!”
Some exchanges just happen, out of the blue, spontaneously, and they feel so good. An aerial image of Neuchâtel taken during one of the first test flights of the year and posted on Facebook caught the attention of the town hall and they posted a request by way of comment: “A photo of our town please!” No sooner said than done. The very next day, SolarStratos published a magnificent aerial photo taken from the cockpit. A gift offered with pleasure, and not just because Raphaël Domjan is from Neuchâtel! The town wrote back: “Grrrrrrreat!! We’ll share them right away!”
CSEM in the front row
SolarStratos recently welcomed the Centre Suisse d’électronique et de microtechnique (CSEM), the team’s photovoltaic partner, to Payerne, along with seventy or so guests invited to their ‘PV in motion’ workshop. The timing was perfect as the guests were able to watch our solar aircraft in flight from the Payerne Airport terrace before transferring to the SolarStratos base for a conference with mission pilot Raphaël Domjan.
Cindy and Michael, welcome on board!
The SolarStratos mission welcomed two new passengers at the beginning of the year with Michael Staehli joining as deputy flight director, supporting CEO Roland Loos, and Cindy Da Silva joining to strengthen the admin and marketing department. The whole team welcomes them!
More and more following the adventure!
The SolarStratos Instagram account has been launched and by Valentine’s Day, we had already welcomed 10,000 followers! It is a nice juxtaposition: this summer we will have at least 10,000 Instagrammers following our record attempt to fly at 10,000 m in an electric and solar-powered aircraft. If we include those that follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, online at www.solarstratos.com, and through our newsletters, then we have a nice little crowd of 50,000 supporters who have embarked on our mission for sustainability and to decarbonise society.
As we reach the end of the month, HB-SXA is ready for take-off for the preparatory flight campaign ahead of this summer’s 10,000 m challenge. We are just waiting for the weather, so stay tuned!
510 GW of renewable energy: electrifying!
Pilot and SolarStratos mission founder, Raphaël Domjan, was quick to share the breaking news at the beginning of February: “By 2023, 510 GW of new renewable energy production facilities were installed globally. That’s the equivalent output of around 100 nuclear power stations. In 2024, we should reach 750 GW of new renewable installations across the planet. We are on our way to decarbonising our civilisation. And at this rate, by 2050, over 60% of the energy consumed in the world will be solar generated.”
And SolarStratos is proving that flying will remain a possible and sustainable dream.
10,000 m: a challenge that requires oxygen
To reach the stratosphere, and this summer for the 10,000m altitude record attempt, our pilot will need to be equipped with an oxygen system. The equipment that Raphaël Domjan will be wearing has been developed in partnership with Julien Martinez from LD Switzerland helmets. It was tested in mid-February and has been given the all-clear for use. Breath-taking!
Special record: special badge
The last mission badge that the SolarStratos team wore was for the Paris Air Show expedition last June. As we kick off 2024, we are adorned with a new badge that will guide all our actions towards this summer’s goal: Mission 10,000 metres. We look forward to sharing this chapter of our adventure with you.
