NASA's Pathfinder Plus solar-powered, remotely piloted flying wing reached an altitude of over 80,000ft (24,400m) on a 6 August test flight from Hawaii. The flight, which lasted for almost 15h, paves the way for testing the Pathfinder's successor, the Centurion, a solar-powered unmanned air vehicle which is designed to reach and sustain an altitude of 100,000ft for up to 2h, to conduct scientific measurements (Flight International, 20-26 May).
Low altitude, battery-powered, flight tests of the Centurion are to begin in October at NASA Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards AFB, California. High altitude solar-powered flight tests are planned for mid-1999.
The 63m-span Centurion is being developed by AeroVironment, which built the original 30m-span Pathfinder and the 37m-span Pathfinder Plus.
The Pathfinder Plus incorporates some of the features of the Centurion, including an increased-span wing centre-section using a new high-altitude aerofoil and covered with more efficient solar cells. Eight increased efficiency electric motors planned for the Centurion replace the six motors used on the original Pathfinder.
The Hawaii flight set a new altitude record for a propeller-driven aircraft, NASA says, surpassing the 71,530ft achieved last year by the original Pathfinder.
Source: Flight International
