Screening of the Film "Solar Impulse, the Impossible Round the World Mission"

©Direction de la Communication / Manuel Vitali

The screening of the film "Solar Impulse, the Impossible Round the World Mission" ("Solar Impulse, l'impossible tour du monde") on Monday 13 February by the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation and the Prince's Government attracted approximately 1,000 guests to the Rainier III Auditorium.  At the end of the evening, in the presence of the Sovereign Prince, the two founders and pilots of the solar plane, Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg, spoke about their feat – travelling 43,000 km (26,719 miles) across five continents and two oceans, using only solar energy, on board the Solar Impulse 2.

Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg set off from Abu Dhabi on 9 March 2015 and took it in turns to pilot the aircraft in 17 stages until their return on 26 July.  The plane is a single-seater with electric motors powered only by solar energy.

Throughout this adventure, the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation and the whole of the Principality of Monaco actively supported the project, in particular by housing the mission's strategic centre.