NASA Funds 5 Organizations to Research New Commercial Aircraft with Emission Reduction and Efficiency Criteria.
The project is part of the initiative “Sustainable Advanced Aircraft for the Environment 2050” (AACES 2050). The five organizations participating in the design of new aircraft include: Aurora Flight Sciences of Boeing, aerospace company Electra, Georgia Institute of Technology, startup JetZero, and Pratt & Whitney.
Illustration of NASA’s future passenger aircraft model. (Image: Electra).
Bob Pearce, Deputy Director of NASA’s Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate, stated that through initiatives like AACES, NASA aims to find solutions to improve aircraft efficiency, reduce the environmental impact of aviation, and enhance the technological competitiveness of the United States in the years 2040, 2050, and beyond.
The total funding for these 5 research projects is $11.5 million. Each organization focuses on research according to its expertise, ranging from alternative fuels to propulsion technology and aerodynamic design.
Aurora Flight Sciences will research alternative aviation fuels, propulsion systems, aerodynamic technologies, and aircraft configurations.
Electra will explore electric engines and unique aerodynamic design features for the aircraft’s fuselage and wings to reduce emissions and noise.
The Georgia Institute of Technology will focus on sustainable technology, including alternative fuels, propulsion systems, and aircraft configurations. JetZero will investigate technology using cryogenic liquid hydrogen as fuel to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Pratt & Whitney will research aviation propulsion technology, concentrating on improving thermal performance and propulsion efficiency to reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global warming.
Nateri Madavan, Director of NASA’s Advanced Air Vehicle Program, remarked: “The selected proposals come from a variety of organizations and will provide exciting and diverse discoveries regarding scenarios, technologies, and aircraft concepts, helping the aviation industry move towards transformative sustainability goals.”
The aircraft designs developed through AACES could become operational within the next 25 years. By reducing aircraft dependence on traditional fuel sources that emit greenhouse gases, NASA is supporting the goal of net-zero emissions for the U.S. aviation industry by 2050.
