An experimental solar-powered plane landed last week after completing its first 24-hour test flight, proving that the aircraft can collect enough energy from the sun during the day to stay in the air all night.

Pilot Andre Borschberg landed the Solar Impulse at Payerne airfield about 30 miles southwest of the Swiss capital Bern last Thursday.

The engineering team behind this project said it had now proven that the single-seat plane can theoretically stay in the air indefinitely, recharging its used-up batteries using 12,000 solar cells and the rays of the sun while the sun is shining on it.