NASA is designing a new type of plane, much more efficient

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NASA and Boeing are collaborating on the development of a new aircraft, a fuel-efficient single-aisle aircraft, for commercial use.

The goal is to reduce fuel emissions and reduce the climate impact of flights.

The project focuses on the development of a new wing structure called the truss-strengthened transonic wing, which would be more fuel efficient and could use up to 30 percent less fuel than current aircraft designs.

It is not the first time that NASA has developed airplanes, it already did so with the X-57 Maxwell electric plane and its Super Guppy transport plane. They have been working with aerodynamics for many decades, so the development of aeronautical technologies within the company goes much further than building rockets that reach the moon.

It will not be an easy task, as in this case they need to create the necessary structure for this wing shape without adding too much weight to the aircraft. According to Bob Pearce, associate administrator for NASA’s Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate, increasing the aspect ratio of a wing reduces that aircraft’s induced drag, the drag due to lift. But the challenge is to do it without adding too much weight to the plane.

They already showed the concept in 2019, and now they have shown the progress, although there are a few years left before it is possible to integrate other technologies and go from demo to practically usable.

NASA’s quiet supersonic X-59 QueSST will not carry passengers, but in this case it won’t, NASA wants to develop technology that can be used commercially.

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NASA has developed various aeronautical technologies in the past, some examples include:

– The X-57 Maxwell Electric Aircraft: An experimental aircraft that uses electric motors to fly.
– The Super Guppy Transport Plane: A large-span aircraft used to transport cargo and equipment.
– Winglets: vertical extensions on the wings that improve the aerodynamic efficiency of aircraft.
– Technologies to reduce carbon emissions.
– Designs and technologies to improve fuel efficiency and reduce environmental impact.

It is time to put all this experience in the hands of consumers, with a plane that takes us from one place to another consuming much less than current devices.