Raphaël Domjan

Raphaël Domjan
Raphaël Domjan in 2012
Born
Raphaël Domjan

(1972-01-19) 19 January 1972
Neuchâtel, Switzerland
CitizenshipSwiss
Occupation(s)EcoExplorer and speaker
HonoursSolar Swiss Prize 2012

Europeen Solar Prize 2013

Knight of Saint-Charles 2022

Holder Guinness World Record
Websitewww.raphaeldomjan.com

Raphaël Domjan (born 19 January 1972) is a Swiss explorer and lecturer. He started and completed the first round-the-world trip using solar energy between September 2010 and May 2012 aboard the MS catamaran PlanetSolar. In 2015, he carried out the first polar solar navigation in the Arctic Ocean. He is the founder and pilot of the SolarStratos project, the first solar plane in the stratosphere. In August 2020, he made the first jump off of an electric plane and the first solar free fall.[1] Raphaël Domjan is a pilot, mountaineer, diver and parachutist.

He is a member of the Explorer Club of New York as well as the Société des Explorateurs Français.[2]

He was made a Knight of the Order of Saint-Charles by HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco on 17 November 2022.[3]

Biography

Raphaël Domjan was born on 19 January 1972 in Neuchâtel, Switzerland and raised in Lausanne.[2] In 2001, he co-founded the company Horus Networks Sàrl, the world's first solar web server.[4]

In 2004, Domjan launched his first solar-powered round-the-world project. He founded PlanetSolar SA then, in 2007, the PlanetSolar Foundation.[2] The PlanetSolar catamaran was built in Germany between 2008 and 2010, financed by the German entrepreneur Immo Stroeher.[5]

In 2007, he travelled between Martinique and Dominica in the expedition of the Sun 21, the first solar boat to cross the Atlantic using solar energy. On this occasion he probably made the first dive from a solar boat in history. He also participated in the crossing of the United States north/south with Louis Palmer aboard the SolarTaxi, a solar and electric car.

Between 2010 and 2012, he made the first solar-powered round-the-world trip aboard PlanetSolar as the leader of the expedition.

In 2012, Domjan became a speaker and member of the Global Speaker Association. Since then he has given lectures regarding his world tour and explaining the reasons which pushed him to go on it.[4]

In 2014, he brought together an international team and launched the SolarStratos mission, the objective of which was to reach the stratosphere with a piloted solar plane. He plans to perform this record flight in 2023.[6][1]

In 2015, along with the sailor Anne Quemere, he attempted to make the first crossing of the Northwest Passage in a solar powered kayak. Unfortunately, the weather conditions were unfavorable and they had to turn back after 300 km. The expedition nevertheless constitutes the first solar polar navigation in history.[7]

On 25 August 2020, he jumped out of the SolarStratos HB-SXA solar plane in Payerne, Switzerland, with test pilot Miguel Iturmendi in command of the plane, the first jump off of an electric plane and the first free fall in solar history. He dropped several hundred meters and reached a speed of 150kmh.[1]

In 2021, he became the first pilot of an electric plane flight with a head of state. On 14 September 2021 they took off with a Pipistrel Velis128 operated by Elektropostal from Nice airport in France with H.S.H. Albert II, Prince of Monaco and they flew over the Principality of Monaco. The plane flew for 30 minutes at a maximum altitude of 900 feet.[8]

On 18 June 2022 Raphaël Domjan took off with HB-SXA solar plane from Sion airport in Switzerland with the adventurer Géraldine Fasnacht on board. She jumped from SolarStratos at more than 9,000 feet above the Swiss Alps and achieved the first wingsuit flight from an electric and solar plane. She landed in the village of Verbier in Switzerland at more than 1,000 meters above sea level.[9]

In April 2025, he brought a second-hand solar boat, the “MS PlanetSolar II”, to Lake Titicaca at an altitude of 3,810 metres, the highest navigable lake in the world. The vessel is intended to support scientists and archaeologists in protecting it from human pollution and climate change.[10]

On 12 August 2025, he set a historic record by becoming the highest-flying pilot in the world in an electric and solar-powered aircraft, reaching 9,521 metres at the controls of the solar aircraft SolarStratos HB-SXA. [11]

PlanetSolar

PlanetSolar in Miami

First world tour using solar energy

The MS Tûranor PlanetSolar is the largest solar boat built to date and the first to have sailed around the world powered by solar energy.[12] Having left Monaco on 27 September 2010, the PlanetSolar and her crew followed a route close to the Equator. After passing through the Atlantic Ocean, Panama Canal, Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean, Suez Canal and Mediterranean, the boat reached Monaco on 4 May 2012.[13] after 585 days and 60,006 km traveled.[14]

PlanetSolar crew members during the first solar world tour (2010-2012)

Raphaël Domjan was the expedition leader of PlanetSolar during his round the world trip between 2010 and 2012. Patrick Marchesseau was the captain of PlanetSolar from Monaco to Nouméa, and Erwann le Rouzic took over from Nouméa until the return to the starting point, Monaco. They were accompanied by Jens Langwasser, a boatman, and Christian Oschenbein, an electrical engineer.

Firsts and records

During its round-the-world trip, PlanetSolar achieved a number of firsts: the first solar-powered round-the-world trip,[15] first trip around the world by solar boat, and first crossing of the Indian Ocean and Red Sea with solar energy. In terms of records, PlanetSolar is also the largest solar boat in the world, and is the solar vehicle that traveled the longest distance (60,023 km).[16]

Stamps

After the first round the world trip by solar boat, La Poste Monaco issued a postage stamp on the adventure PlanetSolar with a value of 77 centimes Euros representing PlanetSolar in Monaco.

SolarStratos

The project aims to demonstrate the potential of solar energy and electricity to go beyond what is possible with conventional propulsion methods. The SolarStratos aircraft was unveiled to the public and the media on December 7, 2016[17], and completed its maiden flight on May 5, 2017, in Payerne, Switzerland.[18]

On 25 August 2020, SolarStratos was used for the first jump from an electric aircraft, which also marked the first solar-powered free fall in history.[19]

On 12 August 2025, departing from Sion, Switzerland, the solar aircraft HB-SXA reached an altitude of more than 30,000 feet (over 9,500 metres), setting the absolute altitude record for a crewed electric and solar-powered aircraft.[20]

Following the planned stratospheric flight, the SolarStratos team has stated its intention to contribute to the energy transition, particularly by supporting the electrification of future aviation.

Publications

  • Jaunin Roger, Domjan Raphaël (2010) - « PlanetSolar », Lausanne: Favre, 144 pp.
  • Jaunin Roger, Domjan Raphaël (2012) - « PlanetSolar, Premier tour du monde à l’énergie solaire », Lausanne : Favre, 170 pp.
  • Javet Raphaëlle, Domjan Raphaël (2018) - « Pionniers et aventuriers de l'énergie solaire », Lausanne : Favre, 136 pp.

Filmography

  • À la poursuite du soleil (2012) - documentary (52 minutes) directed by Olivier Vittel, produced by the PlanetSolar Foundation.
  • SolarStratos « la naissance d’un rêve » (2021) – documentary (52 minutes) directed by Stéphane Chopard and Eric Beaufils and produced by Gédéon

References

  1. ^ a b c Balibouse, Denis (August 25, 2020). "Parachutist makes world's first jump from solar-powered plane". Reuters – via www.reuters.com.
  2. ^ a b c "Bio | Raphaël Domjan".
  3. ^ "Chevalier de l'Ordre de Saint-Charles | Raphaël Domjan" (in French). Retrieved 2025-08-21.
  4. ^ a b "Raphaël Domjan, un alien des temps modernes". August 25, 2016. Archived from the original on December 10, 2016. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
  5. ^ "History – Fondation PlanetSolar". www.planetsolar.swiss.
  6. ^ "SolarStratos". Retrieved 25 November 2016.
  7. ^ "Enerzine.com". 20 July 2015. Retrieved 25 November 2016.
  8. ^ "PHOTOS. Prince Albert II becomes the first Head of State to fly 100% electric". 15 September 2021. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
  9. ^ Géraldine Fasnacht effectue le premier saut en windsuit depuis un avion solaire - 19h30 - Play RTS. Retrieved 2025-08-21 – via www.rts.ch.
  10. ^ Neuchâtel, www rtn ch, RTN, Radio Télévision (2025-04-26). "Mise à l'eau réussie pour PlanetSolar II sur le lac Titicaca". www.rtn.ch (in Swiss French). Retrieved 2025-08-21.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  11. ^ "SolarStratos signe le record du plus haut vol solaire, à 9521 mètres d'altitude". rts.ch (in French). 2025-08-13. Retrieved 2025-08-21.
  12. ^ D'Orazio, Dante (June 22, 2013). "An inside look at the world's largest solar-powered boat". The Verge.
  13. ^ Webster, Andrew (May 4, 2012). "PlanetSolar completes first solar-powered boat trip around the globe". The Verge.
  14. ^ Wassener, Bettina (May 9, 2012). "A Modern Magellan Demonstrates Power of the Sun". The New York Times.
  15. ^ "PlanetSolar | Raphaël Domjan".
  16. ^ "Guinness World Records". 4 May 2012.
  17. ^ Stephens, Thomas (2016-12-08). "Un avion solaire suisse veut atteindre la stratosphère". SWI swissinfo.ch (in French). Retrieved 2025-08-21.
  18. ^ "Solar aircraft makes successful first flight". Embry-Riddle Newsroom. Retrieved 2025-08-21.
  19. ^ swissinfo.ch, S. W. I. (2020-08-25). "First skydive from a solar electric plane accomplished in Switzerland". SWI swissinfo.ch. Retrieved 2025-08-21.
  20. ^ "SolarStratos signe le record du plus haut vol solaire, à 9521 mètres d'altitude". rts.ch (in French). 2025-08-13. Retrieved 2025-08-21.
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