In the air
The first round of test flights this year has gone as per the technical team’s plan! Raphaël Domjan manned the aircraft for several of the flights out of the team base in Payerne and it was pure pleasure for him to be flying the magnificent solar aircraft again after the winter break!
Optimisation of the plane and test flights
The technical team welcomed Axel Valat, test pilot, and Benoît Douxchamps, test flight engineer, onboard for this round of tests and their contribution was invaluable to the campaign; the quality of their reports was very positively received by the FOCA and the whole team is grateful.
It is a first for SolarStratos to be back in the air so early in the season and this round of test flights (from 28 March until 14 April) meant that Axel Valat could familiarise himself with the aircraft and that the team could carry out all the tests required to ensure that the flight schedule stays on track in 2022. A big thank you to the technical team who made this first flight campaign of the year possible!
The necessary data collected during the tests will allow SolarStratos to take off and land on a shorter runway, as planned for the next flight from Payerne to La Chaux-de-Fonds to celebrate the opening of the new terminal at Les Eplatures regional airport (13-15 May).
The technical team adjusted the new variable-pitch propellor, which will be tested during a future flight. The improved telemetry now offers full aircraft monitoring from the Mission Control Centre (MCC), including live images from the aircraft during flight – this is the result of efforts from the whole team, but in particular from Alexis and Yvan, with help from Pascal and Johann.
The first flight campaign of the year was short but fruitful and allows us to look ahead to the May and June flight schedule with enthusiasm and a degree of serenity!
Commémoration du 1er tour du monde à l’énergie solaire
Commemorating the first ever solar-powered circumnavigation
On 4 May 2012, the MS Türanor PlanetSolar crossed the finish line in Monaco having completed the first ever solar-powered circumnavigation. When they left the Principality 18 months earlier, Raphaël Domjan and his crew set out to demonstrate the incredible potential of renewable energies and their energy efficiency by achieving this historic journey.
On Friday 29 April, towards the end of the day, H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco and Raphaël Domjan celebrated the 10th anniversary of this first round the world voyage. Together, they unveiled a commemorative plaque on the sea wall of the Avant Port of Monaco in the company of the crew. The emotional ceremony was already looking to future projects, including the SolarStratos Mission.
To close the day of celebration, the PlanetSolar Foundation hosted a gala evening at the Principality’s Oceanographic Museum. H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco attended alongside numerous eco-explorers and partners. World firsts, exploits and future ambitions punctuated the evening and created wonderful memories for the guests in a magical, luminous, and historic setting.
A flight in an electric plane with Noam Yaron
Noam Yaron, 24, is a very active young man, both in life and on social media. In autumn 2021, he broke the record for swimming the length of Lake Geneva. Starting from Château de Chillon, he covered the 75kms and reached Bains des Pâquis in Geneva in 19h53m, knocking 2h46m off the previous record set in 2016 by a Spanish swimmer. This feat is part of an ecological campaign that aims to raise public awareness of plastic pollution in the lake.
Defending the same environmental values, Raphaël Domjan invited Noam Yaron to attempt to cross Lake Neuchâtel during their flight in an electric plane.
Flying in a Velis
As part of the Energissima trade fair in Bulle, France, Raphaël Domjan flew a Velis, a light and very manoeuvrable two-seater electric plane, accompanied by Mr Pierre Schwaller, founder of the trade fair in 2007. It was a great opportunity for our pilot and eco-explorer to share the moment with an advocate of events related to sustainable energy and technological solutions.
SolarStratos kicks off its first flight campaign of the new year
Spring is in the air and with the warmer weather, SolarStratos kicked off its first round of test flights out of the base in Payerne this month. The first taxiing and test flights proceeded as per the schedule which was months in the planning, and the pilots took full advantage to test the technical optimisations that had been completed over the winter months, and to prepare for the next flights at higher altitude.
The base undergoes a face lift
The team made the most of the winter months to upgrade the interior of the Payerne base, in particular with new branding highlighting our partners. As Raphaël Domjan says: “Our team spends a lot of time at the base working on SolarStratos and we regularly use it as a venue for our events, it is therefore important to have a welcoming place where partners and team members feel comfortable.”
In addition to the aircraft, the base hosts a photo exhibition dedicated to the pioneers and adventurers of solar energy, a visitor reception area, the Mission Control Centre, and a workshop and technical area.
A new helmet for our pilot
Raphaël Domjan tests his new H-CMB helmet made and provided by our partner LD Switzerland. With its innovative design, high level of comfort and its optimal customisable visor shape, this helmet represents a considerable asset for the upcoming flights.
Ocean conservation
Raphaël Domjan travelled to the Principality of Monaco to take part in the 13th edition of the Monaco Blue initiative co-organised by the Oceanographic Institute – Albert I Prince of Monaco Foundation and the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation.
This unique discussion platform, dedicated to new ambitions for the protection of the oceans over the next decade, is based on the capitalisation of best practice and examples of sustainable management and ocean conservation. Please click here for more information: https://www.fpa2.org/fr/actualites/13e-%C3%A9dition-de-la-monaco-blue-initiative-une-nouvelle-ambition-pour-l-oc%C3%A9an-08171
Final days of the PlanetSolar exhibition at Quartier SIG – Geneva
PlanetSolar Foundation’s travelling exhibition ‘Pioneers of Solar Energy’, currently located at Quartier SIG in Geneva, is due to close its doors on 10 April. So, if you haven’t already visited, don’t miss out! Entry is free and you will discover prototypes dating from the middle of the 20th century right up to the present day, created by engineers who are passionate about aviation and navigation powered by solar energy. Make sure you look out for the model of the PlanetSolar catamaran that Raphaël Domjan and his crew took around the world in what was the first solar-powered circumnavigation in history. For more information, please go to: https://ww2.sig-ge.ch/actualites/pionniers-de-lenergie-solaire-une-exposition-de-la-fondation-planetsolar
Photo: of the exhibition – on the link above
SolarStratos – an ideal platform for environmental research carbon-free image capture
Flying an airplane in the stratosphere provides a unique perspective of Earth, not only for the human eye, but also for the scientific instruments used to study the environment. The University of Basel’s Research Group on Physical Geography and Environmental Changes focuses on the connection between environmental changes occurring on the ground and how they are captured by remote sensing.
High-altitude aircraft are an ideal platform to connect the telemetry process with the planet because they offer images with a much higher resolution than satellites and can collect relevant data in the short term and at lower cost.
SolarStratos offers environmental specialists a unique opportunity to develop new sustainable remote sensing tools.
A first flight aimed at testing the feasibility and accessibility of cameras and software for image analysis took place on October 13, 2021. Professor Nikolaus Kuhn, pilot and member of the Physical Geography and Environmental Changes Research Group, flew for two hours with Michel Cunier, a member of the SolarStratos team, to photograph the region between Lake Neuchâtel and Chasseral. These images were then processed in the imaging laboratory of the University of Basel. The results demonstrate that the image quality matches that of Google Earth and other commercial remote sensing products and that stratospheric aircraft can provide the service at a lower cost and with a near-zero environmental footprint.
In 2022, during a series of flights, SolarStratos will continue to support the University of Basel with its research. The images that resulted from the October systematic mapping process focused on the seasonal vegetation cover of the Massif du Jura and will make it possible to follow its evolution with precision while also contributing to reducing environmental impact!
An exclusive preview of the 2022 programme for our partners
It was a happy moment for Raphaël Domjan and the SolarStratos team at the end of January when they were able to welcome the SolarStratos partners once more! During two exclusive events at the end of last month, SolarStratos presented a 2021 retrospective and a 2022 preview.
The 2021 results are very positive, not only did SolarStratos have the honour of retaining the support of its loyal partners, but the group also welcomed two new main partners. As Raphaël Domjan often says: “our incredible solar adventure could not exist without the unconditional support of our partners and donors. I thank you all for your continued faith and loyalty and for always being at our side.” Plus, the planned test flights were all carried out to the satisfaction of the technical team, and the evolution of the communications strategy has made it possible to develop our presence across social networks and to strengthen our visibility.
In 2022, the SolarStratos team can look forward to many challenges and exciting deadlines, including a return to the skies above Switzerland at the end of March, weather permitting, a gala dinner at the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the first solar-powered circumnavigation by Raphaël Domjan onboard PlanetSolar, and of course more high-altitude flights and world premieres!
LD Switzerland protects pilots’ heads!
Raphaël Domjan and the SolarStratos team are pleased to welcome LD Switzerland as a new official supporter. Creators of helmets for airplane pilots, LD Switzerland is a young company driven by the spirit of innovation. The safety, comfort and creative design of their helmets is widely appreciated among the flying community. Roland Loos, SolarStratos CEO said of the new partnership: “We are delighted with this collaboration which starts this spring with the resumption of flights for Raphaël and our test pilot!”
The team is growing!
The whole SolarStratos team is happy to welcome Iris Muller who is going to support Jennifer Uldry in the marketing and events department from February 1, 2022, for a 6-month internship.
The technical team will also benefit from the skills of two new members this year: Axel Valat, test pilot and Benoît Douxchamps, test engineer, who will accompany Raphaël on his mission!
“Think beyond” with Bitcoin Switzerland
To announce its partnership with SolarStratos, Bitcoin Suisse SA has produced a video demonstrating its pioneering spirit and showcasing its ambition for our adventure. We invite you to watch it here: here :
SolarStratos alongside Bordier & Cie at Geneva International Airport
Look out for SolarStratos in the Gates area of Geneva International Airport where we appear on the big screen alongside Bordier & Cie in celebration of our partnership! No one can fly without a thought for our solar adventure!
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.
The SolarStratos team welcomed the partners of its solar adventure to present the 2022 program at Explorit, on January 24 and 31, 2022.
With the arrival of “Banque Bordier & Cie” as main sponsor, SolarStratos benefits from three «main partners»: Longines, Bitcoin Suisse SA and Bordier & Cie. Most of the other partners were also present to discover the rich program, including a promising «return to flight» at the end of March 2022 for the solar aircraft with the optimization of certain technologies.
SolarStratos warmly welcomes aboard Bordier & Cie, a leading Swiss private bank, as main sponsor for its mission ‘To the edge of space’. By teaming up with the pioneering SolarStratos expedition, Bordier & Cie is committing to protecting the planet for the future by promoting a renewable energy source as a viable alternative to fossil fuels.
Innovating for future generations
“For 177 years, we have been protecting, nurturing and passing on the assets entrusted to us. It is therefore only natural for us to commit to protecting that most precious asset of all, namely our planet, and handing it down intact to the coming generations,” says Grégoire Bordier, Managing Partner. “We are delighted to support the SolarStratos mission, which embodies this ambition. I think Antoine de Saint-Exupéry perfectly illustrated this way of thinking when he said: ‘We don’t inherit the earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children.’”
Raphaël Domjan, pilot and founder of the mission, expresses his satisfaction about Bordier’s decision to partner alongside SolarStratos: “Faced with the climate emergency, we need to boost our scope to innovate and demonstrate a pioneering spirit. The entire SolarStratos team is delighted to share their values with the Partners and employees of the Bordier group.”
Aircraft optimisation
Winter is not conducive to flying, but it does give our technical team time to fully analyse all the data gathered from the test flights throughout the year and to optimise the technology ahead of the next flight campaign.
Having added solar cells to the tail of the airplane, the technical team is focussed on developing the instrument panel to include additional flight data such as real time solar cell production, additional temperature readings and acceleration information. All this data will be transmitted by telemetry to the Mission Control Centre (MCC) on the ground.
These new elements, which will make it possible to optimise the trajectory of the aircraft and therefore to produce maximum energy, will be simultaneously available in the cockpit and at the MCC.
In other developments, we have a new propeller in construction in Germany which will be installed early next year. With variable pitch, this propellor will make the most of the engine’s power at any altitude.
“The birth of a dream” on Planète+
Our documentary, “SolarStratos, the birth of a dream”, was back on screen on Wednesday December 15 on Planète +.
Prince Albert II flies with Raphaël
Relive the first ever flight of a Head of State in an electric plane. HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco flew with our pilot, Raphaël Domjan, for approx. 30 minutes above the French Riviera, including Monaco.
Watch the highlights of this historic flight here.
Looking back at an exceptional year
It has been an eventful year with many flights and Stéphane Chopard, our TV producer embedded with the team, has been capturing all the action! He has put together some highlights for your enjoyment. Click here to watch the SolarStratos 2021 recap:
Invitation – Exceptional gala evening in Monaco 2012-2022: ten years.
It has been ten years since Raphaël Domjan and his teammates crossed the finish line in Monaco after their historic first ever solar powered circumnavigation onboard PlanetSolar.
This gala event is an opportunity for the Foundation of the same name to commemorate its historic arrival in the Principality. The gala will take place on Friday 29 April at 19:00 at the Oceanographic Museum in the presence of HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco, as well as many solar adventure explorers and pioneers.
Don’t miss out! Book your place through the following link: https://www.planetsolar.swiss/inscription-gala-2022/
Looking for a gift?/h3>
Visit our online store and treat friends and family to a stratospheric gift featuring SolarStratos.
https://www.solarstratos.importexa.com/
Season’s Greetings and Happy New Year to everyone!
Raphaël Domjan and the whole SolarStratos team, wish you and your loved ones a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2022!
We thought that the pandemic would be behind us as the new year approaches, but unfortunately that is not the case. We remain, however, optimistic and continue to move forward with our objective of achieving our first stratospheric flight powered by solar energy.
We are extremely honoured by your unwavering support during this complex period and would like through these few lines, to warmly thank you for continuing the adventure with us.
We look forward to seeing you again in 2022 and until then, have a great holiday season and take care of yourselves.
See you soon for new adventures!
Raphaël Domjan and the SolarStratos team
The pressurised spacesuit is tested
Our pilot, Raphaël Domjan and CEO, Roland Loos, visited our partner Zvezda in Moscow this month to continue to test the spacesuit that will be used for the SolarStratos stratospheric flight. This phase was a major challenge for Raphaël as the suit was pressurised and the test simulated a flight in stratospheric conditions lasting more than seven hours.
It was extremely demanding from a physical point of view, but hugely successful!
By the end of the seven-hour test, Raphaël emerged from the model aircraft, the altitude chamber, and the pressurised suit, exhausted but delighted with the results. Our pilot also took this opportunity to submit two watches from our partner, Longines, to stratospheric conditions.
This was an important step in the conquest of the stratosphere and bodes well for ongoing preparations.
We never stop learning
We realise that we mentioned this a few weeks ago, but please bear with us as we revisit the topic and give you an insider’s view of the successful 2021 flight campaign.
The SolarStratos team worked tirelessly to ensure that every solar plane outing was a success and in doing so, gained a great deal of experience from the numerous flights that will benefit the future development and learning in all areas.
Throughout the 2021 flight campaign, the pilots, the technical team, the communications and sponsorship team – every team member was able to familiarise themselves with the potential challenges of the SolarStratos project and to gain unparalleled insight and experience. Conquering the stratosphere aboard an experimental solar aircraft is a permanent learning process, and one that is highly motivating!
As this incredible season draws to a close, the team is ready for the next phase and is looking forward to the next flight campaign in 2022.
SolarStratos gets some TLC
During the winter months, our solar aircraft will be carefully tucked up in the warmth of the SolarStratos base, where our technical team will fine tune some technical aspects of the design, in particular the integration of photovoltaic components and improvements to the telemetry.
“Solar Energy Pioneers and Adventurers” exhibition opens
On 11 November, the PlanetSolar Foundation invited partners and eco-donors to the opening of an exhibition dedicated to solar energy pioneers and adventurers. The evening, attended by our eco-explorer Raphaël Domjan and Christian Brunier, the Director General of our partner, Services Industriels de Genève, who made the space available at the Quartier Libre SIG, was a great success and enjoyed by all.
The exhibition is open to the public until 10 April 2022. Admission is free.
For full details, please go to: https://ww2.sig-ge.ch/actualites/pionniers-de-lenergie-solaire-une-exposition-de-la-fondation-planetsolar
Christmas is on the way!
For those little end-of-year gifts, don’t forget that our online shop offers a variety of products that combine fun with a contribution to our solar mission!
https://www.solarstratos.importexa.com
Total success of the tests carried out at our partner Zvezda in Moscow on Tuesday November 2, 2021! Raphaël Domjan realized a flight simulation in an altitude chamber in a pressurized spacesuit, corresponding to the flight profile of the future flight in the stratosphere. These tests have shown that this suit is well adapted to our needs and will allow Raphaël to carry out this flight in the best possible conditions. At the same time, we were able to subject two watches from our partner Longines to these stratospheric conditions.
These tests were carried out in the same premises of Zvezda, where the human adventure of space exploration began in the 1960s. Raphaël “landed” in great shape, welcomed by our CEO Roland Loos. A big step for the SolarStratos mission in Russia!
New Main Partner
SolarStratos is delighted to welcome Bitcoin Switzerland AG as Main Partner. Bitcoin Switzerland AG is a pioneer in crypto-finance and a global market leader. Bitcoin Switzerland AG and SolarStratos share common goals: they think outside the box, they innovate, and both imagine a future that pushes the boundaries of possibility in technology and exploration. Raphaël Domjan and the SolarStratos team would like to thank Niklas Nikolajsen, founder and president of Bitcoin Switzerland AG, and his team for their confidence and look forward to continuing the adventure with them. We would also like to thank all our loyal partners for their support, for being there for us and for contributing to our conquest of the stratosphere.
SolarStratos is preparing for 2022!
The entire technical team is currently dedicated to improving SolarStratos for next year: they are fitting an anti-fog and anti-icing system and additional solar sensors, they are making improvements to the telemetry and avionics, plus they are changing the propeller. The aircraft is being optimised to achieve our 2022 objectives!
“The birth of a dream” is selected at the festival “Les Ecrans de l’aventure” in Dijon
Raphaël Domjan and the SolarStratos team were honoured to learn that the documentary “The Birth of a Dream”, directed by Stéphane Chopard, has been selected to take part in the official competition of the 30th edition of “Les Ecrans de l’aventure” Festival in Dijon.
We were delighted with the response to our film during the screening on 14 October, attended by Raphaël, and this nomination is a welcome sign of artistic recognition. Thank you to all those who supported our film and congratulations to Jordan Manoukian, for his film “Out of Fame”, which won the Golden Fleece for Adventure Film of the Year in 2021.
StratosTime: click below to relive the 2021 flight campaign!
“Pioneers of Solar Energy” exhibition
Raphaël Domjan and the PlanetSolar Foundation have the privilege to present their travelling exhibition “Pioneers and Adventurers in Solar Energy” for six months at Quartier libre SIG, on the Pont de la Machine in Geneva. The space is made available by our partner, the ‘Services Industriels de Genève’, to whom we extend our heartfelt thanks.
This exhibition will be an opportunity to revisit the history of a selection of pioneering projects through stories, unique pieces of solar vehicles and a model of PlanetSolar, the first boat to complete a circumnavigation powered by solar energy, and with our eco-explorer, Raphaël Domjan, on board.
The exhibition will open on Thursday 11 November. Admission is free.
Please go to the following website for more information: www.sig-quartierlibre.ch
