Solar Impulse Leaves New York for Historic Atlantic Ocean Crossing

A look at what awaits Bertrand Piccard on his four day flight.

ByABC News
June 20, 2016, 10:08 AM

— -- Swiss adventurer Bertrand Piccard took off from New York City this morning inside Solar Impulse, a solar-powered plane, for his historic four-day journey across the Atlantic Ocean.

The journey is perhaps one of the most grueling legs for the Solar Impulse project. Piccard and fellow adventurer, Andre Borschberg, have been taking turns flying the solar-powered plane on their quest to circumnavigate the globe solely using the power of the sun.

"The Atlantic is always the symbolic flight for all the means of transportation and today it becomes a symbolic flight for energy vision," Piccard told ABC News last week. "It is the first time an airplane flying solar -- that means with electric engines, zero emissions, zero fuel -- is attempting to cross this ocean from America to Europe, so it is extremely exciting for all of us."

Inside the Plane

During the four-day trip, Piccard, who is also a psychiatrist and trained in self-hypnosis, will take 20-minute naps in the pilot's seat as he cruises across the ocean. He will travel about the same speed as a car would on the highway.

PHOTO: A packet of mushroom risotto is one of the choices Bertrand Piccard will have during his trip across the Atlantic.
A packet of mushroom risotto is one of the choices Bertrand Piccard will have during his trip across the Atlantic.

Piccard is carrying enough rations for the trip and meals, such as mushroom risotto, come in packets that don't require much preparation or take up a lot of space.

PHOTO: A “toilet bag” is used below the cockpit seat for bathroom breaks.
A “toilet bag” is used below the cockpit seat for bathroom breaks.

Space inside is tight so the cockpit seat -- when used with a "toilet bag" -- can be converted into a bathroom. Piccard will also carry a compact, inflatable lifeboat that can be deployed in the event of an emergency.

PHOTO: In the event of an emergency, the pilot can deploy a lifeboat and wait for rescuers.
In the event of an emergency, the pilot can deploy a lifeboat and wait for rescuers.

Solar Power

Solar Impulse is able to fly at night and in cloudy weather because it stores solar energy in batteries on the aircraft.

"During the day flight, the sun gives enough energy to run the four electrical motors and to charge the batteries so during the night we have the batteries running until the next sunrise and that next sunrise we recharge for the next day and like this we can fly forever," Piccard said.

Solar Impulse will most likely land in southern Spain after the Atlantic crossing. The two pilots expect to complete their around-the-world journey this summer in Abu Dhabi --- where the voyage began in March 2015.