Nuna, the space age solar car which profits from space technology supplied by the European Space Agency (ESA) has won the 3010 km World Solar Challenge through Australia.
The ‘Alpha Centauri Nuna’ car is probably the most effective solar vehicle ever built, capable of reaching speeds of 160kph and more. Powered only by the sun, it relies heavily upon high-performance plastics developed for satellites. Also the car’s solar cells use space technology as they are based on those used to power the International Space Station
Nuna is partly fitted with solar cells which have actually been in outer space, as part of the Hubble Space Telescope. Other solar cells are so new that ESA has yet to use them in space. The Alpha Centauri Team, which built the Nuna, is supported by Dutch astronaut and Delft University of Technology (TUD) Professor Wubbo Ockels.
To support this breaking news story the ESA TV Service will make a replay of the Solar Powered Car VNR which provides an overview of Nuna, and the space technology that was used in its construction. This transmission will be part of today’s ESA TV Footage feed:
21 November 2001
Solar Powered Car
11:45-12:00 GMT
Eutelsat W1, 10 degrees East
Transponder B5, channel 2 (digital, horizontal)
F=11.14375 MHz, SR=5.632 MS/sec, FEC=3/4
MPEG-2 (4:2:0)
MCR: Tel +31 71 565 6322, Fax +31 71 565 6340
PID-codes (Hex): audio 24, video 21, text 0, PCR 21
Also, the ESA TV Service is organising a satellite feed to Europe of about 30 minutes of images of the World Solar Challenge. As soon as details are known, another mailing will be made.
For further information and a daily update of the transmission schedule, visit our website at http://television.esa.int. For all enquires, contact Claus Habfast, Tel +31 71 565 3838, Fax +31 71 565 6340, e-mail claus.habfast@esa.int.
