Taking Solar to New Heights

SolarStratos: Setting New Limits as the First Manned Solar Plane to Reach the Stratosphere

You climb inside the cockpit. You strap in and take off.

You soar through the clouds in silence – no roaring engine, no trail of smoke.

Now you see entire mountain ranges. Vast oceans of blue. The gentle curve of the earth.

Higher still you fly, until you arrive at your destination: the very edge of space.

Soon, Maxeon technology will make this bold vision a reality.

This journey is into the stratosphere. And into the future.

An Extraordinary Vision

Meet award-winning solar pioneer Raphaël Domjan, the founder of PlanetSolar, the world’s first and largest solar-powered boat to sail around the world purely on solar energy, in 2012. Partners for over ten years, Domjan and us share the same ultimate vision: making the extraordinary possible with solar power.

Raphaël Domjan undergoes decompression tests with his technical and medical team in an altitude chamber. Dressed in his Sokol-KV2 solar space suit, the test simulated 15,000 metres and minus 53 degrees Celsius.

Within the next year, SolarStratos aims to reach the edge of space in a plane powered only by the sun. Flying about two times higher than planes that use conventional fuels, this manned solar airplane heralds the future of commercial travel. Once the inaugural flight is completed, Domjan and his team plan to offer commercial flights into the stratosphere. At its core, SolarStratos aims to show the capacity and capability of renewable energy.

Soaring to the edge of space demands the most advanced solar cells available, so the record-breaking performance and durability of Maxeon technology was the clear choice for SolarStratos.

SolarStratos requires the best-of-the-best when it comes to solar efficiency, and Maxeon is constantly pushing their technology to its limits. We want our record-setting projects to demonstrate how solar is actually a technology that everyone can utilize in their daily lives.

Raphaël Domjan, SolarStratos Founder and Pilot

A Powerful Journey

The best solar technology delivers vast power in a limited space, whether it’s on a rooftop or a solar plane. Take SolarStratos: with just 22 square metres of useable surface, Domjan must power the safe ascent and descent of his 450 kg plane, and stay aloft for up to 12 hours without battery support, if needed. As the longstanding leader in solar efficiency, Maxeon technology is the perfect fit – no other solar in the residential or commercial market generates as much power in a given space.¹

Plus, Maxeon holds its power over time. While conventional solar cells gradually lose power, Maxeon technology generates up to 35% more energy from the same space when compared to conventional solar over 25 years.²

At more than 25,000 metres, the curvature of the planet will be visible to Domjan as he pilots the plane.

Durability is also key. The stratosphere is an unforgiving environment, with freezing temperatures nearing -60 degrees Celsius, battering winds, unfiltered ultraviolet rays, and more. Maxeon technology is designed and tested to perform reliably in these harsh environments. That gives Domjan ultimate peace-of-mind in the sky.

When failure is not an option, the most adventurous and demanding solar pioneers choose Maxeon technology to help them set world records. The cells powering Domjan to 25,000 metres are identical to those found in Maxeon high-efficiency solar panels on homes and businesses back here on Earth. As Domjan soars toward the outer limits of Earth’s atmosphere, Maxeon’s team is proud to support his mission with technology that matches his relentless spirit.

_{1 Based on datasheet review of websites of top 20 manufacturers per IHS, as of May, 2019.}

_{2 Maxeon 400 W, 22.6% efficient, compared to a Conventional Panel on same-sized arrays (310 W mono PERC, 19% efficient, approx. 1.64 m²)}