Helios crashes into ocean off Barking Sands

By Jan TenBruggencate
Advertiser Science Writer

MANA, Kaua'i — The Helios solar plane crashed into the ocean today within an hour of taking off from the Pacific Missile Range Facility on a flight to test a new fuel-cell system.

The big flying wing, with 10 electrically powered propellers, had taken off at 10:15 a.m. after delays caused by shifting winds. It was not known whether windy conditions contributed to the crash.

"It is in the Pacific off Barking Sands. We don't have any other information," said Alan Brown, a spokesman for the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center in Edwards, Calif.

Today, Helios had been scheduled to remain aloft into the night, testing an innovative hydrogen-fueled fuel-cell system. A previous test flight on June 7 ended early without starting the fuel cell after leaks were detected in coolant and compressed-air lines.

Helios was built and flown by the firm Aerovironment, a contractor for NASA's Environmental Research Aircraft and Sensor Technology project. The flying-wing program started several years ago with the 98-foot Pathfinder, a battery-powered, unmanned wing. The Helios wing was 247 feet from wingtip to wingtip. The wing was only eight feet from back to front. Its clear surface revealed that it is covered with photovoltaic panels that provide electrical power to its motors.

In 2001, Helios, configured with 14 electric motors running 14 propellers and using solar power and batteries, flew to an altitude of 96,863 feet.

The latest experiments have been aimed at keeping Helios aloft overnight, when there is no sun. Since standard batteries are too heavy to provide enough power for overnight flight, NASA and its contractors built a new high-altitude fuel-cell system around a General Motors automotive fuel cell built by Hydrogenics Corp. It uses proton-exchange membrane fuel-cell technology.