Monday, April 16, 2007

Photos: Sunrayce 99 - Part 4 of 4 - The Sunrayce

Purdue in Washington, D.C. It rained recently and it wasn't warm.


We finally started the rayce. The time period before this photo was frustrating. The rayce started on a declined street, which should of made things even easier. But all morning it rained. When our turn came to depart, the car would only go backwards. We eventually found a motor controller connector had water in it. When two terminals in the connector were shorted, the car would only go backwards. Once the connector was dried, the car was back to normal. Throughout the race, teams had various problems associated with the rain. Thus the Sunrayce became the Rainrayce.


Passing Waterloo


The solar cars in impound at night


Starting the next day


Waterloo passing


Waterloo cut in front of our solar car to avoid hitting the cameramen


On the highway


Passing through a checkpoint


The Purdue solar car team


Solar car teams charging


Queen's University arriving


Kansas State University arriving


University of Missouri-Rolla arriving


Solar cars charging at the Charlotte Motor Speedway


Passing University of Michigan


Tire change at the end of the day in Clemson, South Carolina


Solar cars charging on top of a parking garage at Georgia Tech


Purdue charging. Our team's logistics manager taking a break under the solar array.


Purdue University and University of Missouri-Rolla


South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, and Purdue University

Here ends my photos of Sunrayce 99. The rayce ended at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. It was quite the learning experience and it was fun. Sunrayce 99 was the last solar car rayce sponsored by GM (General Motors), the company who built the solar car that won the World Solar Challenge in Australia in November 1987.

Photos by Adrian Silveanu

Photos: Mini Solar Challenge - Spring 1998

In the Spring of 1998, there was a mini solar challenge from West Virginia to Indiana. Ohio State University and Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology teams participated with their solar cars. My fellow Purdue team members and I participated as Observers.

Ohio State University


Ohio State University


Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology


Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology


Rose-Hulman's steering wheel


Rose-Hulman


Rose-Hulman


Ohio State University


Charging


Ohio State University on the road


Ohio State University on the highway


Rose-Hulman pushing their solar car briefly up the steep rain slick road


Rose-Hulman changing a malfunctioning potentiometer for their accelerator pedal


End of solar challenge group photo


Photos by Adrian Silveanu

Document: Sunrayce 1999 Brochure



































For more information: www.americansolarchallenge.org

Friday, April 13, 2007

News: Solar boat makes Atlantic history

BBC News has an article mentioning: "... Dr Vosseler said he was "astonished" that there were not more solar-powered boats. ..."

Posted by Photonic News

News: The Solar Shuttle – solar-powered 42-passenger boat

Gizmag has an article mentioning: "... founder Christoph Behling, the SolarShuttle is the UK’s largest and most advanced solar boat. ..."

Posted by Photonic News