A solar-powered electric plane set a new altitude record, reaching a height of 31,237 feet (9,521 meters).

Swiss pilot Raphael Domjan and the SolarStratos aircraft accomplished the feat during a flight from Sion airport in southwest Switzerland. The previous record of 30,298 feet (9,235 meters) was held for 15 years.

Record-Breaking Solar-Powered Plane

“This is one of those unforgettable peaks that define great human and technological adventures,” the SolarStratos mission said, according to Interesting Engineering.

Using warm air thermals to reach a higher altitude, Domjan crossed paths with a commercial airliner in a moment the team called “a powerful symbol of what the decarbonized aviation of tomorrow might look like.”

The flight, which lasted five hours and nine minutes, collected data that will be sent to the World Air Sports Federation for verification.

“It is the pressure altitude corrected to standard density altitude that is recognized as the official reference for aviation altitude records,” the aeronautical project team said.

The plane is 31.5 feet (9.6 meters) long and has a wingspan of 81.4 feet (24.8 meters). The front-mounted, single-propeller aircraft is made of carbon fiber and holds 237 square feet (22 square meters) of high-spec solar panels.

The vehicle can take off at a speed of 31 mph (50 kph) and reach a maximum speed of 87 mph (140 kph). Its cruising speed is around 50 mph (80 kph).

The warm air currents, which reach 13,123–16,404 feet (4,000-5,000 meters), allow the plane to rise to new heights. The plane’s batteries recharge at this altitude before its next ascent.

“This achievement marks a major milestone on the path toward reaching the stratosphere using only solar power,” SolarStratos said.

“It already fulfils the mission’s goal: to capture imaginations with emblematic, spectacular challenges that promote solar energy and the protection of our biosphere and planet.”