Solar Impulse Makes Second Attempt At Flight Across Pacific Ocean

After being forced to land in Japan, the Solar Impulse airplane is back in the air and attempting to make its way around the world. If the aircraft is successful in making the flight around the world it will set a record for the longest flight ever made on solar power alone. Solar Impulse lifted off form Nagoya Airfield in Japan at 18:03 GMT on Sunday.

If all goes well, the aircraft is expected to land in Hawaii in roughly 120 hours. The last update that was offered by pilot Andre Borschberg was that he and the aircraft has passed the point of no return in the flight to Hawaii.

There have been almost two months of delays as the flight team has waited for weather to clear over the Pacific to give them the air they need for the record-breaking flight. The challenge for the pilot of the aircraft is that he can no longer return to Japan if the weather gets bad again.

Not only will the flight be the furthest flight ever made by an aircraft powered by solar energy, if successful, the flight will also be the longest duration solo flight. The Pacific crossing that is underway now is the eight leg of the journey around the world for the aircraft.