Astronomy Picture of the Day ·

The Flight Of Helios

The Astronomy Picture of the Day for August 31, 2001 is “The Flight Of Helios,” an image. It is credited to Photo Credit: Carla Thomas, courtesy DFRC , NASA. The original explanation runs about 146 words.

The Flight Of Helios
Credit: Photo Credit: Carla Thomas, courtesy DFRC , NASA Shown from science.nasa.gov. Not hosted by OpenOrbit.

From the explanation

“Solar-powered , remotely piloted, and flying at about 25 miles per hour, NASA’s Helios aircraft , is pictured above at 10,000 feet in skies northwest of Kauai, Hawaii on August 13. This ultralight propeller driven aircraft, essentially a flying wing with 14 electric engines, was built by AeroVironment Inc.”

— APOD editors, August 31, 2001

Read the full explanation on science.nasa.gov

At a glance

Date
August 31, 2001
Type
Image
Credit
Credit: Photo Credit: Carla Thomas, courtesy DFRC , NASA
Copyright
No copyright notice on the entry. Check the credited institution’s own usage rules before reusing it.
Explanation length
About 146 words

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Source

Copy taken Oct 28, 2026, 2:39 AM EDT. The image and explanation belong to their creators. OpenOrbit is not affiliated with or endorsed by NASA.