Back to Flight: The 2026 Season in Sight
At the bustling SolarStratos base in Payerne, the electric solar aircraft is undergoing meticulous preparation ahead of its annual inspection by the Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA). Every surface, every component, every detail is checked, adjusted and optimized to ensure the aircraft meets regulatory requirements in the best possible conditions. A crucial milestone — and above all, the real starting point of an ambitious new season.
Beyond this regulatory step, the technical teams are fully mobilized around the final adjustments and optimizations of the aircraft. The winglets are receiving targeted interventions, while several improvements are underway to further enhance aerodynamic and energy performance. The goal: turning every detail into a decisive advantage and making ground preparation the first lever for in‑flight performance.
“Each season is a new step toward the stratosphere. We’re not just trying to fly — we want to demonstrate that solar‑electric aviation can push established limits,” says Raphaël Domjan, Pilot and CEO of SolarStratos.
“Flying is never an end in itself. Every takeoff is a technological validation, every hour in the air a tangible proof of reliability, energy efficiency and operational mastery. We advance step by step, with rigor and humility, but with an unwavering ambition: to expand the realm of what’s possible.
Solar‑electric aviation should no longer be seen as an experimental promise. It is a reality in the making. Our role is to prove that it can be high‑performing, measurable, reproducible, and capable of reaching goals previously reserved for conventional propulsion systems.
Pushing the limits means flying faster, flying higher, gathering more data — but also inspiring a new generation of engineers, pilots and decision‑makers. Each season brings us closer to a new standard for sustainable aviation.”
Once the FOCA inspection is completed, the aircraft will take to the skies again with three major objectives:
Introducing a Public Figure to Solar‑Electric Flight
A flight that is both symbolic and strategic, designed as much for demonstration as for conviction. Beyond the aerial experience, the goal is to publicly embody the concrete potential of solar‑electric flight. Bringing a public figure on board gives innovation a voice and a face, creating a narrative capable of transcending technical circles and opening dialogue with the general public, policymakers and economic stakeholders.
This flight will be a signal: that solar‑electric aviation is credible, controlled, and ready to write a new chapter. A strong way to assert that sustainable aviation is no longer a theoretical projection, but a trajectory already underway.
Setting the First Official Speed Record in a Solar‑Electric Aircraft
A record which, to this day, has never been officially established. The field is wide open — there is no existing benchmark. The ambition is clear: to set a first world record and write a new line in the history of manned solar‑electric aviation. The attempt will be carried out in accordance with international standards, using measurement and certification systems approved by the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI), the only authority able to validate such a performance.
Beyond symbolism, this is a defining milestone for the entire sector: providing an official, indisputable and globally recognized measurement of the real capabilities of solar‑electric propulsion. Setting this record is not only about flying faster — it is about establishing a framework, a reference, a proof. And opening a new chapter in the history of sustainable aviation.
A High‑Altitude Scientific Flight
Departing from Payerne, in perfectly stable atmospheric conditions, the aircraft will perform a dedicated flight to collect high‑precision data. This information will be crucial for upcoming technological evolution.
Beyond performance itself, this entire program reflects a strong conviction: the future of aviation is being built today — in the hangars, on the runways, and through the rigor of regulatory inspections.
SolarStratos est la nouvelle aventure de Raphal compose dÕune quipe internationale. Elle a pour ambition de rejoindre la stratosphre avec un avion solaire. Il sÕagit de dmontrer que grce lÕnergie du soleil, il est possible dÕaller plus haut quÕun avion fonctionnant aux nergies conventionnelles. Ce vol sera celui de tous les dangers, quip dÕune combinaison spatiale, Raphal sÕapprochera des limites techniques et humaines pour un tel vol. Une fois l-haut, dans la stratosphre, Raphal pourra observer la courbure de la terre !
Une fois ce vol ralis, Raphal et son quipe envisagent dÕorganiser des vols commerciaux pour des passagers dans la stratosphre.
