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The only aircraft to make it to the edge of space thus far have been advanced armed services jets, merely next yr an engineless glider could reach a record distance, at least that's the goal of the team behind the super-efficient Perlan two shipping. The Perlan ii just completed its commencement test flight at a modest distance of 5,000 feet, but side by side year it's headed for 90,000 feet — and all of information technology without any means of propulsion.

The only two winged shipping to wing at such high altitudes are the Usa Air Strength'south SR-71 Blackbird and the U-two spy aeroplane. The SR-71 holds the current record at 85,096 feet, and the U-2 managed only over 70,000. A commercial airliner typically flies at about 30,000 feet. These shipping both used powerful engines to reach the edge of infinite, only how can an unpowered glider do it? It surfs the air currents of the polar vortex.

The polar vortex is a massive circulating air current around the north and southward polar regions. At sure times of twelvemonth, the polar vortex can add significant free energy to sub-polar air currents. As air currents pass over mountainous regions, massive updrafts are created in the temper. When the polar vortex is active, these updrafts tin achieve well in a higher place the troposphere (where we alive) and into the stratosphere. These are the currents that will allow the Perlan 2 glider to reach the upper atmosphere. Information technology'll notwithstanding have to be launched with the aid of a powered aeroplane, though.

glider

An early version of this aircraft has managed to cruise along at over fifty,000 feet back in the 90s, merely at present the project is backed by aerospace firm Airbus. The more than refined Perlan ii glider has a wingspan of 84 feet, but the fuselage is tiny, with barely enough space for two pilots and a few scientific instruments. This is not going to be a replacement for passenger planes any time soon.

Simply maintaining stable flying at 90,000-100,000 anxiety is a claiming. At that altitude, the Earth's temper is every bit dense every bit that of Mars. The Perlan group will spend the next yr performing additional flight tests at increasingly high altitudes. The big 90,000 foot try will accept place in the summer of 2016 over Patagonia.

This project isn't just near setting records. The Perlan ii glider could exist a boon to climate and atmospheric research. Looking down on Earth from this altitude could give scientists access to a mountain of data about weather, ozone depletion, and more than. And it might do it all without burning a drop of jet fuel.