| | Solar e-Clips - Helios Investigation Team wraps up Field Work - Analysis Begins |
 | | While the investigation is continuing, both NASA and Helios manufacturer and operator AeroVironment, Inc., are moving ahead with planning for follow-on activity to mature the solar and fuel cell propulsion systems technology developed for the Helios, while incorporating lessons learned from the mishap investigation in the planning effort. |
 | | The Helios Prototype had been aloft for about a half-hour on the second of two checkout flights leading to a planned long-endurance flight demonstration later this summer, using power from its solar arrays by day and from an experimental fuel cell system at night. |
 | | During their nine days at PMRF where the Helios Prototype was based during the summer flight deployment, the team collected all of the "perishable data," including witness interviews and statements, reviewed available program information, developed a fault-tree analysis, and developed several potential contributing causes to the mishap. |
| www.californiasolarcenter.org /solareclips/2003.08/20030826-14.html (628 words) |