An experimental, solar-powered plane that flew around the world without fuel successfully touched down in California following its two-and-a-half day trip over the Pacific.

Solar Impulse 2 triumphantly landed in Mountain View shortly before midnight (3 AM EDT) after its trip across the Pacific. The trans-Pacific legs were the most dangerous due to the inadequate number of emergency landing sites.

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Boarding the risky flight are Swiss explorer and psychiatrist Bertrand Piccard and Swiss engineer Andre Borschberg.

"It's a new era. It's not science fiction. It's today," Piccard told CNN after his voyage. "It exists and clean technologies can do the impossible."

Spectacular images of the plane flying over the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco Bay portray such a significant fulfillment. The team has seen the project surrounded with problems amid its pioneering airborne circumnavigation. 

"I'm very happy that everything works extremely well and the airplane is functioning as it should," Borschberg told CNN ahead of its on-schedule landing. "It's a demonstration that the tech is reliable."

The plane took off from Hawaii on Thursday, continuing its journey that has been delayed on the Oahu Island for nearly 10 months. Although this is already Piccard's ninth leg, and he is in control of the flight, both he and Borschberg have the opportunity to fly the plane solo.

Solar Impulse 2 has just the same speed to that of a car, making the Hawaii-California leg just 62 hours to finish. Ideally, it has a flight speed of 28 mph but could double at daytime when the sun's rays are at its strongest.

The plane's wingspan is just about the size of Boeing 747, and its weight is similar to that of an SUV. It is equipped with 17,000 solar cells that power both propellers and charge batteries. The plane is run by stored energy during the night. The dragonfly-looking plane needs to be at its near-perfect shape to fly.

"Nobody's done this before," Gregory Blatt, managing director, said. "There's no guidebook. There's no best practice."

Solar Impulse 2 will take another three stops in the United States before it attempts to cross Atlantic Ocean to Europe or northern America, based on the website documenting the journey. But destination really depends on  the weather.

Tagsswiss, solar-powered plane, solar power, solar impulse 2, bertrand piccard, andre borschberg