NASA Pushes Electric Aircraft

 Test Flights for the X-57 Maxwell Start in June

                                                                    Source:  NASA

NASA's Chases Zero Emissions Aviation

A big part of the future of flying will be electric planes with zero emissions green flights, no inflight carbon emissions and much quieter aircraft.  This is a future that NASA is betting on.  NASA's electric, experimental X-plane, the X-57 Maxwell electric plane, will begin test flights in June. The vehicle has an electric propulsion system that makes flying cleaner, quieter and more sustainable.  The X-57 is a key component of NASA's X-planes series, which also includes a super-quiet, supersonic electric passenger jet, the X-59 QueSST, which is next in line for test flights after X-57 in NASA's fascinating X series of experimental aircraft for use on Earth not in space, yet.

Tech Specs

The X-57 is an Italian Tecnam P2006T that was converted to an electric plane by replacing its petroleum-based fuel Rotax engines with two electric motors made by California's Joby Aviation, best known for its eVTOL flying taxis.  X-57 has successfully completed ground tests.  The June test flights will be crewed by two pilots flying out of California.  The electric aircraft is a technological work of art.

Electric Wings

The X-57 has a configuration of 14 electric motors and propellers.  There are 12 high lift motors along the leading edge of the wings and two large wing top cruise motors.  The combination of the 14 engines gives the electric plane lift for take-off and getting airborne.  Once in cruise mode, the two wing top cruise motors take over to maintain the flight and the 12 smaller engines along the wings deactivate.  To land, the 12 smaller engines reactivate and work with the 2 cruise motors to attain proper lift for approach and landing.

NASA Goals

NASA says their X-57 e-plane is designed to have a 500% increase in high-speed cruise efficiency, zero inflight carbon emissions and a very quiet flight over the communities it soars over.  NASA also hopes it will develop certification standards for emerging electric plane developers to accelerate the regulatory approvals for use of electric planes to decarbonize our skies.  To read more news stories like this, go to Daily Vehicle Briefing