The 54-year-old Europe balloonist's grandpa set an height record, while his dad was one of the first people to discover the inner part of the sea. But now Piccard and his associate Andre Borschberg are trying to get into the record guides with an around-the-world journey in a solar-powered aircraft that can fly in the evening without non-renewable petrol.
Piccard and Borschberg talked with Bob Simon for a "60 Minutes" review to be transmitted this evening about the Solar energy Reaction, a slimmer airplane that is only about as much as a midsize car but that has a wingspan to go with that of a large jet.
After becoming the first person to finish a unlimited increase journey around the planet, Piccard invested 10 years increasing the $120 thousand required to develop the airplane he desires will accomplish the task in 2015. He desires such a journey will accentuate the public's concentrate on utilizing solar.
His dad was the delayed deep-sea traveler Jacques Piccard, whose journey to the end of the Mariana Trench in the completely submersible boat the Trieste still maintains the stage record. But Piccard said it was his grandpa Auguste's increase climb to 53,153 legs above sea stage that motivated him to become an traveler. "That was really amazing for me as a kid because I was studying in the record guides all the experiences about the World being smooth, being circular," Piccard said. "My grandpa came returning and said, 'I saw the curve of the World with my sight.' So, once you stay this as a kid, of course, you want to proceed into that area of discovery."
The Solar energy Reaction has a wingspan of more than 200 legs, which increases its streamlined performance. That long wingspan also homes the more than 12,000 personal solar sections that relax up the sunshine needed to energy the Solar energy Reaction during the day and cost its lithium plastic battery energy to keep it aloft in the evening.
Piccard and Borschberg have already traveled the Solar energy Reaction -- the only solar airplane that can fly in the evening -- 2,500 kilometers from Europe to African-american and returning. However, the five days it will take to fly over the Hawaiian Sea presents the biggest task. The plane's compact elements are especially susceptible to harm in stormy weather, and too many atmosphere may slow down its capability to renew its battery energy.
