GREAT EXPLORERS AND ADVENTURERS

Exploration can take many forms. Early explorations were men on foot. Then boats were invented, animals tamed and carts built to extend man's abilities to explore - to travel greater distances. The Great Age of Exploration involved sailing ships that allowed man to discover uncharted lands. Imagine what it must have been like to sail across the oceans and discover a new land. Mostly these lands were already inhabited, but were not known to other countries - and so our knowledge of the known world grew until we knew so much about our planet that we wanted to go further.

Eventually, man wanted to know more about the stars. He we fitted into the Universe. but man is not well equipped for space exploration. Nearly all expeditions are carried out by machines working for man autonomously. Deep sea exploration is now mostly done by autonomous robots.

Hundreds of sailors have now circumnavigated the globe, many single handed, but no ship has yet circumnavigated the globe autonomously. And yet satellites do it every day in space. But there has never been a robot world navigation. This then is another challenge for man in his quest to explore his world. you can follow this latest adventure by clicking on the boat at the foot of this page.

As technology improved ships were scheduled not only for cargo but passages were possible. Cargo could be delivered on time and cheaper than before. Luxury passenger cruises followed. All of this was only possible because of the successes of the early explorers and marine architects. This period of discovery is known as the Great Age of Exploration. Solar Navigator heralds a new age of technological discovery aiming to prove electric passages can be a reality.

Ernest Shakleton

Sir Ernest Shackleton - Antarctic explorer
After Captain Scott died during an attempt to reach the South Pole in 1912, Sir Ernest Shackleton (1874–1922) chose to tackle the challenge of Antarctica in a different way. He decided he would attempt to journey across the icy continent from one side to the other via the South Pole.

Captain James Cook
Find out about Captain James Cook, 18th century explorer and navigator. Cook's achievements in mapping the Pacific, New Zealand and Australia radically changed our understanding of world geography.

Captain Robert Falcon Scott

Captain Scott - Antarctic explorer
In 1901-04 Captain Robert Falcon Scott (1868-1912) was the first person to explore Antarctica extensively by land. His last mission to the South Pole ended in tragedy and only missed being the first to this famous landmark (compass bearing) by days.

Christopher Columbus
What did Columbus want to do? Why did he want to sail west? And what exactly did he find?

Ferdinand Magellan

Ferdinand Magellan
The First explorer to Sail around the World.

(not to be confused with Joshua Slocum's solo circumnavigation)

Horatio Nelson 1758-1805
Horatio Nelson had a passionate belief in his ability to become a hero. His victories and great courage caught the public imagination, and he was indeed considered a hero, both in his own lifetime and in the Victorian period following his death.

John and Sebastian Cabot
John Cabot (c1450-1498) was an experienced Italian seafarer who came to live in England during the reign of Henry VII. In 1497 he sailed west from Bristol hoping to find a shorter route to Asia, a land believed to be rich in gold, gems and other luxuries. Find out about his life, achievements and more...

Peter the Great, reigned 1682-1725
Tsar Peter I of Russia is more usually described as 'Peter the Great'. As a young man, he travelled to Europe in 1697-8 to study new developments in technology, especially shipbuilding

Sir Francis Drake, 1542-1596
Francis Drake was an experienced and daring seafarer. Among many adventures, the 'famous voyage', his successful circumnavigation of the world between 1577 and 1580 ensured that he would be one of the best remembered figures of Tudor England

Sir John Franklin 1786-1847
Sir JohnFranklin was an officer in the Royal Navy and an Arctic explorer.Although he took part in the great sea battle of Trafalgar, he is best remembered for his surveys of the Arctic.

Sir Walter Ralegh, 1554-1618
During his own lifetime, Walter Ralegh (Raleigh) was one of the best-known men in England. He was a courtier, politician, soldier, seaman, explorer, businessman, philosopher, historian and poet.

Henry the Navigator

Prince Henry the Navigator
The man chiefly responsible for Portugal's age of exploration was Prince Henry the Navigator, the third son of King Joao I (John) and his English wife, Queen Philippa of Lancaster. Henry was born in 1394

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Solarnavigator is designed to carry the Scorpion anti pirate weapon. A fleet of such autonomous vessels could be the basis of an international peacekeeping, and/or emergency rescue force.