Solar plane makes historic flight.

An experimental solar-powered aircraft launched on Wednesday has landed safely in Switzerland after successfully flying through the night.

An experimental solar powered aircraft HB-SIA prototype airplane took off from a swiss air base in the early hours of Wednesday, July 8th, 2010.

The aircraft used super-efficient solar cells and batteries to stay in the air after the Sun's rays had faded.

“This should be a great day if all goes well,” said team chief Bertrand piccard, who made the first non-stop round-the-world flight in a balloon more than a decade ago. He added ,” The goal is to take to the air with no fuel. The goal is to show that we can be much more independent from fossil energy than people usually think.”

Previous flights of Solar Impulse have included a brief "flea hop" and a longer airborne test earlier this year. But this week's attempt was described as a "milestone" by the team.

The test flight was a major step toward the makers' aim of circling the globe using the power of the Sun to fuel the plane.

The plane touched down at an airfield about 30 miles (50 km) from the Swiss capital Bern at 0900 (0700 GMT). “That was the moment that proved the mission was successful, we made it."

The plane emerged from the darkness of night with three hours power remaining in its batteries, more than had been expected.

"Nothing can prevent us from another day and night, and the myth of perpetual flight."

The team will now build a new, more advanced, model of the plane.They aim to circumnavigate the globe by 2013.

The go-ahead will depend on the sun’s ability to charge up solar impulse’s batteries in the day time and the threat of strong high-altitude winds.