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7 modern solar-powered vehicles

By: Bryan Nelson on July 29, 2013, 5:01 p.m.
The International Space Station

Photo: NASA

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International Space Station

The most impressive solar-powered vehicle ever constructed is quite literally out of this world. The International Space Station, a monumental feat of engineering, gets all of its electricity from solar power. It is equipped with eight solar array wings, each covered in nearly 33,000 solar cells. The arrays are double-sided so that they can collect energy from the Sun and light reflected off the Earth at the same time.

The primary purpose of this electrical system is to provide a suitable environment for astronauts to live and work in. In other words, they might be described as the world's most expensive heaters. They are responsible for keeping astronauts sheltered from the icy chill of space.