Bertrand Piccard’s Hydrogen Flight, Millennium Reign Energy, and HYSKY Connect: How the Hydrogen Aviation Ecosystem Is Taking Shape
- HYSKY Society
- 3 days ago
- 4 min read
Aviation explorer Bertrand Piccard is preparing to fly around the world nonstop and with zero emissions using only green hydrogen. His ambitious project, called Climate Impulse, is not a solo feat of engineering, but rather the product of a growing global hydrogen aviation ecosystem. With the support of the Solar Impulse Foundation, innovative companies like Millennium Reign Energy, and community platforms such as HYSKY Connect, the foundation for a new era in sustainable flight is rapidly forming.
From Ballooning to Hydrogen: Bertrand Piccard’s Path to Climate Impulse
Bertrand Piccard is no stranger to record-breaking flight. In 1999, he co-piloted the Breitling Orbiter 3, completing the first nonstop balloon flight around the world. He followed that with Solar Impulse, the first global flight in a solar-powered aircraft. Now, his next goal is to demonstrate that hydrogen—not fossil fuels—can power long-haul aviation.
Slated for takeoff in 2028, Climate Impulse aims to become the first nonstop, zero-emission circumnavigation of the globe. The plane will use liquid green hydrogen stored at -253°C, which feeds fuel cells to power electric motors—producing only water vapor.
Key technical collaborators include:
Airbus – aerodynamic redesign and feasibility studies
ArianeGroup – hydrogen storage systems
Syensqo – lightweight composites and membrane technology
49Sud – aircraft construction, led by Raphaël Dinelli
With 40% of the aircraft already built, Piccard’s vision is advancing from concept to reality.
The Solar Impulse Foundation and Millennium Reign Energy
Piccard’s hydrogen vision extends beyond aviation. Through the Solar Impulse Foundation, he champions scalable solutions that are both clean and profitable. Among these “Efficient Solutions” is Millennium Reign Energy (MRE), an Ohio-based manufacturer of hydrogen generators, fueling stations, and electrolyzers.
In June 2021, MRE received the Solar Impulse Efficient Solutions label, recognizing their hydrogen generation process as one of the top 1,000 solutions to decarbonize the planet. Their technology is designed to produce hydrogen from renewable sources and scale with demand—precisely the kind of infrastructure hydrogen aviation will require.
Enter HYSKY Connect: Building the Bridge Between Hydrogen and Aviation
Millennium Reign Energy is also a member of HYSKY Connect, a global platform dedicated to accelerating hydrogen-powered flight. HYSKY Connect brings together companies working in:
Hydrogen production and delivery
Fueling and logistics infrastructure
Onboard hydrogen storage
Fuel cell and propulsion systems
Aircraft design (UAVs, eVTOLs, fixed-wing, and more)
As the Climate Impulse project illustrates, the future of hydrogen aviation cannot be built in silos. It requires ecosystem-level cooperation—exactly what HYSKY Connect was designed to foster.
With companies like MRE participating, and global projects like Piccard’s paving the way, the industry is laying the foundation for a zero-emission aviation future.
A Shared Vision, A Global Effort
Bertrand Piccard is optimistic about hydrogen’s future in aviation. Despite skeptics citing infrastructure and cost challenges, he draws a comparison to early mobile phones—once bulky, expensive, and niche, now indispensable.
Piccard’s ultimate hope is that projects like Climate Impulse spark collaboration and innovation that outlast his own lifetime. “You can always do better,” he says. “You can invent. You can raise enthusiasm, restore hope, bring people with you, and do something better.”
For more information
(Top image: Credit — Climate Impulse)
Join HYSKY Connect — Where Hydrogen Meets Aviation
Millennium Reign Energy is a member. Are you?
HYSKY Connect is where hydrogen producers, infrastructure developers, aircraft innovators, and propulsion specialists connect to accelerate zero-carbon flight.
Whether you're designing electrolyzers or eVTOLs, managing logistics or aviation systems—this is where hydrogen and aviation converge.
Join today and be part of building the future of flight.
FAQ: Beginner’s Guide to Hydrogen Aviation
What is hydrogen aviation?
The use of hydrogen as a fuel source for powering aircraft, through either combustion or fuel cells.
What makes green hydrogen different?
It’s produced using renewable energy through water electrolysis, making it carbon-free.
How does a hydrogen fuel cell airplane work?
It generates electricity by combining hydrogen and oxygen in a fuel cell, emitting only water vapor.
What role does liquid hydrogen play?
Liquid hydrogen offers high energy density and is used in long-range aircraft like Climate Impulse.
Is hydrogen safe for flight?
Yes, with proper design and handling. Hydrogen has been safely used in aerospace for decades.
What is the Solar Impulse Efficient Solutions label?
An award given to technologies that are both clean and economically viable, like MRE’s hydrogen generators.
How is Millennium Reign Energy involved in aviation?
By building hydrogen infrastructure—generators and fueling appliances—needed to support hydrogen-powered aircraft.
What is HYSKY Connect?
A global platform where hydrogen and aviation companies collaborate to accelerate the transition to zero-carbon flight.
What are the challenges for hydrogen aviation?
Infrastructure, cost, fuel storage, and certification are key barriers—but they are actively being addressed.
How can I get involved in hydrogen aviation?
Join HYSKY Connect to connect with industry leaders, showcase your solutions, and shape the future of flight.
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