The Pathfinder struggled at first, but after being acquired by NASA, it began to soar — literally. To prove that extremely light (and fragile) aircrafts powered by the sun could take off, fly at very high altitudes, and land successfully, it flew in several test missions. Many of these test flights were conducted in and over Hawaii. In 1995, the Pathfinder set its first altitude record during a 12-hour flight, becoming the first solar-powered aircraft to fly successfully at 50,000 feet. Less than two years later, it shattered that record at 71,530 feet, the highest recorded flight for not just a solar-powered aircraft, but a propeller-driven one as well.
In 1998, it was modified, given longer wingspan, and redubbed the Pathfinder-Plus. This allowed it to beat its own record by reaching an altitude of 80,201 feet. By using solar cells instead of liquid fuel as power, the craft was able to achieve such great heights thanks in part to its extremely light weight. However, its unique design was also instrumental in its record-breaking run.
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