The incredible idea that planes driven solely through solar energy could be circulating the earth seems unthinkable, yet that unthinkable accomplishment is in the process of completion at this very moment. Solar-powered technology has become more and more advanced in the past fifteen years, allowing planes such as the Solar Impulse 2 to accomplish new record-setting feats of flying throughout Europe and Asia. Beginning the long, drawn-out journey in Abu Dhabi, Solar Impulse 2 made its way through Oman and India, all the way to China, in small segments from check point to check point. Unfortunately, the journey from China to Hawaii, marking the half-way point in the solar experiment, has been delayed since late March due to rough weather all across the Pacific Ocean. The project team of scientists as well as pilots Andre Borschberg and Bertrand Piccard patiently waited out the long delay in order to depart at a time where the journey would not last the predicted seven days. Upon reaching Hawaii, planned check points include Pheonix, Arizona, somewhere in the midwest U.S., New York, somewhere in Northern Africa, and back to the starting point of Abu Dhabi. And just as David Molko points out in the CNN article,
"There is much at stake. Their mission, which the pilots say is aimed at proving the power of renewable energy, and inspiring innovation, has been 12 years in the making. Both pilots have made it clear that there are no guarantees."
Recently, even in Dallas, Texas, weather has proven itself to hold great power over societal and individual plans, shaping our intentions and accomplishments, staking a claim to human agendas. In this same way, weather predicts the outcomes of such scientific experiments, and all we can hope for is an opening and opportunity to continue our plans and agendas without interference from the natural powers of the earth.
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