
It could change the way we fly - and help take man to Mars.

Aviation specialists have revealed a glider capable of reaching altitudes of 90,000ft (27,430 metres) using nothing but wind.

They plan to use natural weather conditions over Argentina to set a new world record and become the highest that any winged vehicle, powered or otherwise has gone.

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Experts plan to use natural weather conditions over Argentina to set a new world record and become the highest that any winged vehicle, powered or otherwise has gone. Here, the plane is show high over Nevada in an earlier test.

THE PERLAN PROJECT PLANS Because it lacks an engine, Perlan 2 can explore the edge of space without polluting the atmosphere it will study. Uses for the pressurised sailpaine include: Understanding weather: Perlan II plans to see how what happens at the highest levels of the stratosphere impacts weather globally. Predicting climate change: Perlan II will collect and share data with atmospheric scientists worldwide, to improve climate models and more accurately predict climate change and its potential solutions. Diagnosing the ozone layer: Perlan II can take untainted air samples from the stratosphere to measure the levels of ozone-damaging chemicals and assess whether the ozone layer is replenishing or still depleting. Future of space travel: The glider will operate in atmospheric conditions roughly similar to those on Mars, providing insight into how wingborne aircraft could operate above the Martian surface. Advertisement

The Perlan 2 glider is a pressurized sailplane designed to ride updrafts called 'mountain waves' that, in certain regions near the north and south poles, can reach into the stratosphere.

For a brief period in August and September every year, the weather in the Andes mountains near El Calafate is often just right to generate these elusive stratospheric mountain waves.

Perlan 2 is designed to ride these waves up to 90,000 feet without requiring the two-person crew to wear pressure suits.

Although this summer's research program will likely focus on lower altitudes, project pilots may still break the world gliding altitude record of 50,671 feet, set in 2006 by Steve Fossett and Perlan Project founder Einar Enevoldson in the unpressurized Perlan 1 glider.

'The extraordinary vision of the Perlan Project is to soar at heights where even powered aircraft can't maintain level flight, and it's been our privilege to help them get from a vision to a flying aircraft capable of reaching that goal,' said Allan McArtor, CEO of Airbus.

'We're all very proud this week to see this unique sailplane begin this next important part of its amazing journey.'

The craft has gone to sea, departing the United States aboard a container ship on the first leg of a journey that will end in El Calafate, Argentina, by mid-August.

The journey marks a transition from a successful six-month flight test program in Minden, Nevada, to mission flights in Argentina's Patagonia region, where wind conditions will allow the team to begin high-altitude aerospace and climate research.

'The project has achieved its test flight objectives in the U.S. and now we're ready to head to Argentina, where we will attain critical knowledge about our atmosphere.

'During our research flights we hope to set a new world altitude record for gliders,' said Ed Warnock, CEO of the Perlan Project.

'We're incredibly thankful for all the volunteers, sponsors, friends, plus product and service providers who have helped us reach this important milestone.'

Lacking an engine that would contaminate air samples, the Perlan 2 glider is uniquely able to collect data on upper-level weather patterns and the condition of the atmosphere, yielding new insights into climate change.

The aircraft will carry experiments from earth scientists around the globe, as well as from school and university classrooms. Its flights in the upper atmosphere will also provide Airbus valuable data on high-altitude flight.

If it succeeds, it will be the highest that any winged vehicle, powered or otherwise has gone.

it could will attempt to reach its optimal cruising altitude of 90,000 feet as early as this coming June in Argentina.

Aviation specialists have built a glider capable of reaching altitudes of 90,000ft (27,430 metres) using nothing but wind - and are set to attempt to become the highest plane in history in June.

Airbus says that any insight gained into flight at increasingly higher altitudes also has implications for the future of both sub-sonic and supersonic or hypersonic aviation, where given the right technology, higher operating altitudes could provide a range of potential advantages.

'Airbus recently filed a patent for hypersonic passenger craft that will go to suborbital space and back down again,' Allan McArtor, the Chairman and CEO of Airbus Group, which is sponsoring the craft, told Forbes.

'It's in that region of suborbital space that Perlan 2 will be flying.'

Glider pilots have surfed so-called mountain waves since 1932. The process is similar to surfing on a wave in the ocean, except the glider is in the wave rather than on the surface of the wave. Winds in the Polar Vortex can reach speeds of 260 knots and upwards allowing the mountain waves to propagate upwards into the stratosphere. An infographic revealing more about the project is pictured

The goal of the project is to 'open up a world of new discoveries related to high-altitude flight, climate change and space exploration', explained the firm.

The Perlan II is a pressurised sailplane designed to ride air currents that, in certain mountainous regions near the north and south poles, can reach into the stratosphere.

Despite having no engine, the glider's true flight speed at that altitude will be more than 400mph (643km/h) and the air density will be less than two per cent of what it is at sea level.

The crew will breathe pure oxygen provided by a rebreather system, similar to what astronauts use in space.

In addition to its two-person crew, the aircraft carries scientific instruments to provide new insight into climate change and the upper atmosphere.

Because it lacks an engine, Perlan II can explore the edge of space without polluting the atmosphere it will study.

Airbus says that any insight gained into flight at increasingly higher altitudes also has implications for the future of both sub-sonic and supersonic or hypersonic aviation, where given the right technology, higher operating altitudes could provide a range of potential advantages.

Glider pilots have surfed on so-called mountain waves since 1932.

The process is similar to surfing on a wave in the ocean, except the glider is in the wave rather than on the surface of the wave.

Mountain waves form when winds of at least 15 knots cross over a mountain range perpendicularly and the atmosphere is 'stable' waves will form on the lee side of the mountains.

A glider uses the upward moving part of this wave system to climb.

But the maximum altitude of a mountain is typically at the boundary between the troposphere and the stratosphere, and this is because the cold air of the mountain wave encounters warmer air at the boundary and can't rise further.

Einar Enevoldson, a Nasa test pilot and founder of the project, saw evidence that in regions closer to the Poles in winter, the waves could extend above the troposphere and well into the stratosphere.

Previously, no-one had searched for waves in the stratosphere in sub-polar regions in winter.

From 1992 until 1998, he gathered more evidence that these waves existed, and found they might be strong enough to lift a sailplane to high altitudes.

Then, in 1998 Dr Elizabeth Austin joined Mr Enevoldson in the search for an understanding of stratospheric mountain waves.

She found that the Polar Vortex, and one of its principal components, the stratospheric polar night jet that only exists in winter, provided the high speed wind in the stratosphere that powered incredibly high waves.

The Perlan II glider is the world's first engineless aircraft designed to reach altitudes of 90,000ft (27,430 metres) by riding so-called 'stratospheric mountain waves'. Earlier this week, the glider made history by soaring to 5,000ft (1,525 metres) during its maiden flight over Roberts Field, the Redmond Municipal Airport in Oregon (pictured)

The Perlan II (pictured) is a pressurised sailplane designed to ride air currents that, in certain mountainous regions near the north and south poles, can reach the stratosphere. Despite having no engine, the glider's true flight speed at that altitude will be more than 400mph and the air density will be less than two per cent of what it is at sea level. The crew will breathe pure oxygen, similar to what astronauts use

Winds in the Polar Vortex can reach speeds of 260 knots and upwards allowing the mountain waves to propagate upwards into the stratosphere.

The Perlan Project was formed to explore these waves and soar them to the edge of space.

In August 2006, Steve Fossett and Einar Enevoldson soared the Perlan 1 glider to 50,722ft (15,460 metres) using these 'stratospheric mountain waves.'

'Airbus Perlan Mission II is an historic endeavour in the truest spirit of aviation's earliest pioneers,' said Tom Enders, chief executive officer of Airbus Group which sponsors the project.

The goal of the project is to 'open up a world of new discoveries related to high-altitude flight, climate change and space exploration', explained the firm.

'The knowledge gained from this project will impact how the world understands and addresses climate change. But it will also help Airbus continue to innovate ways to fly higher, faster and cleaner, on Earth and possibly beyond.'

This week's maiden flight was piloted by Jim Payne and Morgan Sandercock.

The next step is to take the glider to various altitudes over a series of tests before the pair attempt to reach the edge of space in Argentina in 2016.

These flights are expected to exceed even the altitudes achieved by the U-2 and the SR-71.

The craft took the the skies for the first time last year.

The flight, which took place over Roberts Field, the Redmond Municipal Airport in Oregon, was the first test flight of the craft which next year will attempt to set a new world altitude record for any airplane.