Video: Tour de Sol 1985
Dominic de Vries contributed this video of the world's first solar race which took place in 1985 across Switzerland.
Sunday, March 25, 2007
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Video: Raedthuys Solar Team WSC 2005
Erik Hoogma contributed this video documentary of the Raedthuys Solar Team participating in the 2005 Panasonic World Solar Challenge.
Monday, March 12, 2007
Photos: WSC 1999 with Rolla - Packing the car - Part 1 of 17
After Sunrayce 99, I wanted to experience World Solar Challenge. I contacted all the North American teams that were going to World Solar Challenge asking if any of them could use an extra team member and University of Missouri - Rolla welcomed me as their guest team member.
Click photo to enlarge:
Last drive in Missouri before World Solar Challenge
Team garage
Shipping box
Solar car entering shipping box
Rolla shipped one of their team members with the solar car. ;-) A team member strapping in the solar car.
Telekinesis was amazing. ;-) Lifting shipping box to put on the flat bed trailer. Printed on shirt: "If you want it, you've got to believe!"Photos by Adrian Silveanu
Photos: WSC 1999 with Rolla - Off to FedEx - Part 2 of 17
Click the photo to enlarge:
The solar car was in the shipping box and loaded on the flat bed trailer
Off loading the solar car shipping box at the FedEx airport terminal in Missouri
Walking the box
Shipping label
All wrapped up and off to AustraliaPhotos by Adrian Silveanu
Photos: WSC 1999 with Rolla - Hanging out in Sydney - Part 3 of 17
We arrived in Sydney a couple of days before the solar car, so we explored Sydney.
Click photos to enlarge:
Sydney has a Monorail
Monorail station
Sydney boat tour
Sydney Opera House
Photos by Adrian Silveanu
Photos: WSC 1999 with Rolla - The Solar Car Arrived in Sydney - Part 4 of 17
Click photos to enlarge:
The solar car arrived
Packing the truck
All packedPhotos by Adrian Silveanu
Photos: WSC 1999 with Rolla - North on Stuart Highway - Part 5 of 17
From Sydney, we drove to Adelaide and then surveyed Stuart highway from Adelaide to Darwin.
Click the photo to enlarge:
Views of Stuart highway
Passed by a two trailer fuel truck, also known as a road train. Driving on the left side of the road was the right side in Australia.
We were happy to see this roadhouse. By the time we arrived here, the RV was running on empty.
At a camp grounds we stayed at, there was a family of Geese. Whenever I got too close, the male Goose would go on the attack.
RV shadow on the Outback
Moving earth hauling equipment. There was a lead car with a flagman which drove ahead and flagged everyone to the side of the road to allow the over-sized truck through.
Photos by Adrian Silveanu
Photos: WSC 1999 with Rolla - At the Darwin race track - Part 6 of 17
Click the photo to enlarge:
Rolla on the Darwin race track
If you don't brake for kangaroos, will they brake for you? ;-)
Sunspeed Singapore Polytech (Singapore)
Futura (Italy)
Foreground: University of Missouri - Rolla (USA)Background: Futura (Italy)
Photos by Adrian Silveanu
Photos: WSC 1999 with Rolla - Qualifiers - Day 1 of 2 - Part 7 of 17
The qualifying process began.
Click photos to enlarge:
University of Waterloo (Canada)
University of Missouri - Rolla (USA)
Lake Tuggeranong College (Australia)
Jona Sun (Japan)Their solar car was made of renewable and recyclable materials. The front nose of the car was made of Balsa wood. The top body (solar array) wasn't on the car.
Aoyama Gakuin (Japan)
Shiga SPD Polytech College (Japan)
Osaka Sangyo University (Japan)
Queen's University (Canada)
Tokai Shoyo High School (Japan)
Tamagawa Solar Challengers (Japan)
Solar Motions (USA)A unique feature of this solar car were the vertical wings/sails. The team interpreted the rules to include wind as an indirect form of solar power. Their angle was adjustable from inside the solar car.
Aurora (Australia)
Southbank University of ESC (UK)
Helio Det (Germany)A unique feature of this solar car was that the car can be disassembled and shipped in large suitcases.
Futura (Italy)
Dripstone High School (Australia)
Sunspeed Singapore Polytech (Singapore)
University of New South Wales (Australia)
University of Queensland (Australia)
University of Minnesota (USA)
Junkyard (Japan)This solar car was the shortest in length and smallest solar car in this event.
University of Michigan (USA)
Kanazawa Institute of Technology (Japan)
Annesley College (Australia)
Southern Cross Catholic College (Australia)
Central Queensland University (Australia)
Club Solar Car (Denmark)
Kormilda College (Australia)
Winston Solar Car Team (USA)
A dragonfly
Newburgh Sol Machine (USA)
Solar Stealth (USA)
MIT (USA)
SA Solar Car Consortium (Australia)
Mannum High School (Australia)
This team's solar car turned out to be a little bit too long. So, in order to qualify, they sawed off the back end of their solar car.Photos by Adrian Silveanu
Photos: WSC 1999 with Rolla - Qualifiers - Day 2 of 2 - Part 8 of 17
Click the photo to enlarge:
The last qualification test, passing a road train in the opposite direction. A road train was a tractor pulling two or three trailers. These were common on Stuart highway. The purpose of this test was to make sure the solar car remained stable in the buffeting wind of the road train when the solar car passed the road train traveling in the opposite direction.
Rolla began the test
PassedPhotos by Adrian Silveanu
Photos: WSC 1999 with Rolla - Starting Day - Part 9 of 17
Click the photo to enlarge:
Rolla (USA)
Helios (France)
The start of the 1999 World Solar ChallengePhotos by Adrian Silveanu
Photos: WSC 1999 with Rolla - End of the first day - Part 10 of 17
End of day charging
Some of us slept on top of the truck to avoid the bitting bugs. Throughout the night the passing road trains sounded like rolling thunder.Photos by Adrian Silveanu
Photos: WSC 1999 with Rolla - Day 2 - Part 11 of 17
Click the photo to enlarge:
Rolla charging in the morning
Water buffalo at a roadhouse
WSC control stop - solar cars and military vehicles
Junkyard
South Bank University
University of Waterloo at the end of the day
University of Minnesota at the end of the day
A Japanese solar car team (ID?) at the end of the day
Aoyama Gakuin
Rolla at the end of the day with Aoyama Gakuin just down the road
Rolla at the end of the day with University of Minnesota just up the road
Holy end of the day
A sunset in the OutbackPhotos by Adrian Silveanu
Photos: WSC 1999 with Rolla - Day 3 - Part 12 of 17
Click the photo to enlarge:
Solar Motions next morning
Aoyama Gakuin
At a WSC control stop. Front to back: Rolla, a Japanese team (ID?), Minnesota and Waterloo
An Emu at a roadhouse
Rolla in the Outback
Waterloo passing Rolla
Waterloo
University of New South WalesPhotos by Adrian Silveanu
Photos: WSC 1999 with Rolla - At a roadhouse - Part 13 of 17
Click the photo to enlarge:
Australia has Kangaroos, Emus and Geese:
Photos by Adrian Silveanu
Photos: WSC 1999 with Rolla - Outback Glamour Shots - Part 14 of 17
Click the photo to enlarge:
Were we on Mars?Photos by Adrian Silveanu
Photos: WSC 1999 with Rolla - The rest of the day - Part 15 of 17
Click the photo to enlarge:
The Rolla team and I
A view of the Outback
End of the day charging in the Outback
A sunset in the OutbackPhotos by Adrian Silveanu
Photos: WSC 1999 with Rolla - Leaving the Outback - Part 16 of 17
Click the photo to enlarge:
Rolla and Waterloo at a WSC control stop
Rolla across the Outback
Downhill: Rolla in the foreground and Waterloo in the background
Rolla and Waterloo across the Outback
Lock Ness monster vacationing in Australia
The Kangaroo bumper sticker after the OutbackPhotos by Adrian Silveanu
Photos: WSC 1999 with Rolla - Arrived in Adelaide - Part 17 of 17
Click the photo to enlarge:
I had a great time with the University of Missouri - Rolla solar car team. Participating in the World Solar Challenge with Rolla was an excellent experience!
Photos by Adrian Silveanu
Document: WSC 1999 Brochure
Click the image to enlarge:
Pages 4, 9, 25, 27 and 28 were full page advertisements
For more information: www.wsc.org.au
Photos: ASC Test Drive Summer 2000
Here are photos of the start of ASC Test Drive Summer 2000. This test drive was for the new route along Route 66 from Chicago, IL to Clairmont,CA to be used for ASC 2001 & 2003.
Click the photo to enlarge:
MIT
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology with University of Missouri - Rolla
Lincoln Land College
A unique feature of Lincoln Land's solar car was that it used a hybrid power system of a solar array with batteries and a hydrogen fuel cell.
Photos by Adrian Silveanu
Photos: ASC 2001 Start
Here are the photos of the start of ASC 2001. I didn't have time to volunteer for this event.
Click the photo to enlarge.
Most of the solar cars in starting order:
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology (USA)
Principia College (USA)
Stanford University (USA)
University of Missouri - Rolla (USA)
Unknown (ID?)
University of Arizona (USA)
Western Michigan University (USA)
University of Michigan (USA)
Texas A&M University (USA)
Queen's University (Canada)
North Dakota State University (USA)
University of North Dakota (USA)
Futura (Italy)
University of Waterloo (Canada)
South Bank University (UK)
MIT (USA)Photos by Silveanu family
Document: ASC 2001 Brochure
Click the image to enlarge:
For more information: www.americansolarchallenge.org
Tuesday, March 6, 2007
News: A Year of Entertainment in South Australia
ASIATravelTips.com has an article mentioning: "... Panasonic World Solar Challenge - 21 – 28 October 2007 ..."
Posted by Photonic News
News: Purdue team implements new solar car design
Purdue Exponent has an article mentioning: "... The Purdue Solar Racing team is working on a brand new car in preparation for the 2008 North American Solar Challenge, a cross-country race. ..."
Posted by Photonic News
Thursday, March 1, 2007
News: Delhi engineering students developing a solar car
Hindu has an article mentioning: "... After their experience at the International Formula Student Competition series, Delhi College of Engineering students will now try their luck at the World Solar Challenge-2007 that involves designing and building a car that runs on solar energy. ..."
Posted by Photonic News
News: DCE students experimenting on 'solar car
IndiaEduNews.net has an article mentioning: "... DCE students experimenting on 'solar car', Delhi News - By Indiaedunews.net ..."
Posted by Photonic News
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