Two pilots recently set a new altitude world record for gliders. A glider is an aircraft that does not have an engine. They are pulled into the air by powered airplanes and then released. They are designed to ride warm, rising air to gain altitude. The Perlan II glider reach an altitude of 15,902 meters on September 3. The two pilots flew their aircraft above mountains in southern Argentina. The pilots beat the earlier world record for gliders by 441 meters. The pilots hope the ability of their plane to reach the edge of outer space will influence young people to follow careers in science and engineering.