Bertrand Piccard

Bertrand Piccard is a Swiss explorer, psychiatrist, and environmentalist.

He is known for pushing the limits of aviation and environmental technology. Piccard belongs to a family with four generations of explorers. His grandfather, Auguste Piccard, was the first to fly to the stratosphere in 1931. His father, Jacques Piccard, was the first to reach the bottom of the Mariana Trench in 1960. This family history shaped his interest in flight and human behavior in extreme situations. He views impossible challenges as reasons to try harder.

In 1999, Piccard achieved a major milestone in ballooning. He and Brian Jones completed the first successful non-stop balloon circumnavigation of the globe. They used a craft called the Breitling Orbiter 3. This vessel was egg-shaped and made of carbon-composite material. It measured sixteen feet in length and seven feet in diameter. Unlike traditional aircraft, this balloon did not use fuel for forward motion. Instead, the team worked with meteorologists to find specific jet streams. These high-altitude winds carried the craft 25,361 miles around the planet. The journey lasted 19 days, 21 hours, and 47 minutes before they landed in Egypt.

Following his success in ballooning, Piccard turned his attention to solar energy. In 2003, he announced the Solar Impulse project in cooperation with the EPFL. He wanted to create a long-range aircraft powered entirely by the sun. Construction began in 2007, and he conducted test flights with André Borschberg in 2009. The project required a massive multi-disciplinary team. By 2006, he had gathered fifty specialists from six different countries. They were also assisted by about one hundred outside advisers. Because of this international funding, the Solar Impulse is considered a European craft.

The Solar Impulse aircraft demonstrated several technological breakthroughs. In 2010, the Solar Impulse 1 (Si1) completed its first nighttime flight. This proved that solar energy could be stored for use when the sun was not shining. In 2012, the plane made an intercontinental flight from Switzerland to Morocco. This trip involved two legs, with Borschberg flying from Switzerland to Spain and Piccard flying from Spain to Morocco. In 2013, the team flew across the United States from California to New York City. These flights showed the potential for solar power in long-distance aviation.

In 2015, Piccard and Borschberg began a historic round-the-world solar flight. They used the Solar Impulse 2 (Si2) to complete the mission. The voyage included many scheduled stopovers to allow for pilot changes. These stops occurred in places like India, Myanmar, China, and the United States. Piccard piloted the ninth segment of the trip. He landed the Si2 in Moffett Field, California, on April 24, 2016. The duo finally completed their full circumnavigation of the globe on July 26, 2016.

Piccard uses his experiences to advocate for the planet. He was named a Goodwill Ambassador for the UN Environment Programme in 2015. In 2016, he and Borschberg launched the World Alliance for Clean Technologies. He also founded the Solar Impulse Foundation to find solutions to the environmental crisis. This foundation uses the Solar Impulse Efficient Solution Label to identify helpful technologies. Experts evaluate these solutions based on their environmental impact and economic profitability. The goal is to help leaders move toward a sustainable economy.

The Solar Impulse Foundation has seen significant growth and success. By April 2021, the foundation had identified and certified 1,000 solutions. These solutions help with goals related to water, energy, industry, and cities. Piccard also explores other clean technologies, such as hydrogen power. In 2019, he set a record for the most miles driven in a hydrogen car without refueling. He drove a Hyundai NEXO SUV for 778 kilometers across Europe. This effort was intended to promote the benefits of hydrogen technology for the future of transport.