New Jet Design By NASA, Boeing To Cut 30% Of Emissions

NASA and Boeing will work together on the Sustainable Flight Demonstrator project to build, test, and fly an emission-reducing single-aisle aircraft this decade, according to an announcement from the agency.

Photo Insert: The NASA-Boeing design is called the Transonic Truss-Braced Wing concept.

“Since the beginning, NASA has been with you when you fly. NASA has dared to go farther, faster, higher. And in doing so, NASA has made aviation more sustainable and dependable. It is in our DNA,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, Ashley Strickland reported for CNN.

The first test flight of this experimental aircraft is set to take place in 2028. The goal is for the technology to serve approximately 50% of the commercial market through short- to medium-haul single-aisle aircraft, Nelson said.

Airlines largely rely on single-aisle aircraft, which account for nearly half of aviation emissions worldwide, according to NASA.

Developing new technology to reduce fuel use can support the Biden administration’s goal of achieving net-zero aviation carbon emissions by 2050, as laid out in the US Aviation Climate Action Plan.

The design that NASA and Boeing are working on could reduce fuel consumption and emissions by up to 30% compared with today’s most efficient aircraft, according to the agency.

It’s called the Transonic Truss-Braced Wing concept, which relies on elongated, thin wings stabilized by diagonal struts that connect the wings to the aircraft. The design’s shape creates less drag, which means burning less fuel. The Sustainable Flight Demonstrator will also incorporate other green aviation technologies.

WEEKLY FEATURE : MVP Group Keeps Lights On During Pandemic