The Perlan Project
“SOARING TO THE EDGE OF SPACE”
The Perlan Project is an aeronautical and scientific mission focused on Innovation, Science & Inspiration. On September 2 2018, in the lee of the southern Alps in Argentina, the Perlan glider soared with its two pilots, without an engine, to a pressure altitude of 76,124 feet, a world record for any subsonic, wing borne human flight. The Perlan Project studies science at the edge of space. Our current goal is to reach 90,000 feet and become the highest-flying wing-born aircraft in human history, all in a zero-emissions research plane that does not pollute the atmosphere. This field project is planned from July – October of 2027 out of El Calafate, Argentina.
The Perlan Project has already proved its concept when pilots Steve Fossett and Einar Enevoldson set the world altitude record of 50,671 feet in a highly modified production glider. The new Perlan Glider is being built from scratch by Windward Performance (President Greg Cole) and is an experimental, pressurized, carbon fiber glider. This glider is being built with the capability to reach 90,000 feet (stage 2 of the project). Stage 3 of the project will attempt to get to 100,00 feet. The Perlan Project is one of aviation’s most ambitious and most dangerous forays into the upper atmosphere and will provide some much needed scientific data regarding the stratosphere, the Polar Vortex and the Ozone hole.
In July of 2014 Airbus Group became the partner and title sponsor of Airbus Perlan Mission II.
On September 3, 2017, the Airbus Perlan Mission II set a new world glider altitude record of 52,172 feet MSL GPS altitude in the Perlan 2 glider. Mission II of the Perlan Project is to fly the purpose-built pressurized high-altitude glider (the Perlan 2) higher than any other manned wing borne aircraft has ever flown, to 90,000 feet. This is done by using stratospheric mountain waves and the polar night jet (associated with the polar vortex) and in doing so harvest invaluable data about earth’s atmosphere and its ozone layer.
On September 2, 2018, the Airbus Perlan Mission II set a new world record, beating their 2017 record, and soared to 76, 124 feet, a world record for any subsonic, wing borne human flight.
Perlan Project intends to use the Airbus Perlan Mission II to expand their educational programmes by creating more partnerships and forming an international education committee.
Current Team:
Airbus Perlan Mission II Team
Current Missions:
Airbus Perlan Mission II
Current Aircraft:
Perlan 2
Phase 1 (completed)
Sailplane:
Certified production DG505M using full pressure suits in an unpressurized cabin. The maximum altitude possible with this configuration was calculated as 62,000 feet.
Location:
Omarama, New Zealand and El Calafate, Argentina
Result:
On August 30th, 2006, pilots Steve Fossett and Einar Enevoldson set the world-record altitude for gliders of 50,671 feet (15,447 m). Measurements taken during the flight proved that they had reached the stratosphere. This has provided the team with valuable information that will be used in Phase 2.
Phase 2 (completed)
On September 2, 2018, the Airbus Perlan Mission II set a new world record, beating their 2017 record, and soared to 76, 124 feet, a world record for any subsonic, wing borne human flight.
Sailplane: Utilizing a special partially-pressurized high altitude sailplane built specifically for the Perlan Project.
Location:
El Calafate, Argentina: 2016-2019
Phase 3
To soar to 90,000 feet without an engine utilizing the Polar Night Jet/Polar Vortex.
Sailplane: the same used for Phase 2
Location:
El Calafate Argentina, July – October, 2027.
For more information on The Perlan Project please visit: www.perlanproject.org
