Solar-powered plane embarks on first round-the-world tour

Staff of the Solar Impulse 2 (Si2) project in the control center at Monte Carlo of Monaco applause after the solar-powered aircraft took off from Abu Dhabi of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), on March 9, 2015. Bertrand Piccard and Andre Borschberg, the Swiss co-founders and pilots of Solar Impulse 2 (Si2) started their first solar-powered round-the-world flight on Monday in Abu Dhabi.(Xinhua/Zhang Xuefei)

MONTE CARLO, March 9 -- A solar-powered plane dubbed "Solar Impulse 2" successfully took off on Monday morning in Abu Dhabi and embarks on the first attempt to fly around the world without any fuel, confirms the aircraft's mission control center in Monte Carlo, Monaco.

Bertrand Piccard and Andre Borschberg, two pilots from Switzerland, will take turns to pilot the aircraft to visit India, China and the United States before flying back to Abu Dhabi through South Europe or North Africa.

Prince Albert of Monaco gave the go-ahead commend to this historic mission, saying it was "a great joy here for Monaco to host this control center" and the plane will inspire "a lot of innovations, not only in solar energy, but also renewable energy in general."

Conor Lennon, communications manager of the Solar Impulse project, told Xinhua that the control center is in charge of "meteorological data monitoring, air traffic control, mission control and flight strategy control", adding that many promotional activities would take place during the aircraft's stopover in Nanjing, China.

Solar Impulse 2 is about 72 meters wide, wider than a Boeing 747 jet, while only weighs 2.3 tons, slightly heavier than a sedan.

The plane has more than 17,000 solar cells on the wings to provide power for its four electric motors.

Maxine Ghavi, head of Swiss-Swedish power technology firm ABB's Solar Industry Segment Initiative, noted that technologies used on the aircraft will "eventually benefit the public".

Solar Impulse 2 is expected to finish a 35,000 km trip within five months. This is the first attempt of human beings to fly a plane day and night without consuming conventional fossil fuels on a round-the-world tour.