In a few hours' time, we will be completing a first step towards fulfilling the vision I had after the round-the-world balloon flight: on 26 June at Dübendorf (Zürich), the HB-SIA prototype of Solar Impulse, the first aircraft designed to fly day and night on solar energy, without fossil fuel, will be presented to the press.

André and I owe the achievement of this first major stage to our whole team, and in particular the engineers and technicians whose knowledge, experience and unlimited perseverance have enabled us to come up with concrete responses to this challenge which was said to be impossible when we launched it. We owe it also to the trust of all our partners, who are even more impassioned by this project today than they were on day one when they decided to come on board with us.

Since the project was launched on 28 November 2003, billions of tonnes of oil have been consumed. The vision, the symbol and, ultimately, the entire Solar Impulse initiative, are unfortunately more topical than ever. Energy savings, the use of renewable energy and the respect of the environment will be achievable only by a general mobilization. Freeing ourselves from dependency on fossil fuels is the greatest adventure of the 21st century: an adventure that belongs to every one of us.

Bertrand Piccard