Pathfinder Remotely Piloted Flying Wing

EC96-43817-12
Pathfinder aircraft returning from a flight. Solar arrays covered most of the upper wing surface of the Pathfinder aircraft. These arrays provided up to 8,000 watts of power at high noon on a clear summer day. That power fed the aircraft’s six electric motors as well as its avionics, communications, and other electrical systems. Pathfinder also had a backup battery system that could provide power for two to five hours, allowing for limited-duration flight after dark.› Read Project Description

November 19, 1996
NASA Photo / Carla Thomas