The future of aviation may look very similar to today on the surface, but under the hood (or next to the tail) it will likely be something entirely different. That’s the future NASA hopes to foster with five research awards worth $11.5 million.
The Advanced Aircraft Concepts for Environmental Sustainability 2050 (AACES) program is an early stage initiative to identify “transformational solutions” that have the potential to move the carbon-spewing air travel industry towards sustainability. This is a long-term initiative.
Of course, these awards are far from creating a practical aircraft, and these concepts are just concepts. But millions of dollars can be the difference between a powerful new technology sitting on a lab shelf and the real deal. -World Test.
Two of the awards are more focused than the others. For example, Electra already has a flying prototype electric plane, and the prize money will go toward advancing existing technology. JetZero combines a cryogenic liquid hydrogen fuel source with the unusual blended wing fuselage seen in the photo above.
Image credit: Electra
The other three awards are more general. Georgia Tech will explore new fuels, propulsion systems, and configurations that appear promising for the ATH2ENA program. Pratt and Whitney will consider a “broad suite” of propulsion technologies that seek to reduce fuel consumption and emissions, likely through harm-reduction techniques.
Aurora Flight Sciences appears to have been given the broadest mandate of all. The Boeing-owned company plans to “carry out a comprehensive, ‘open’ exploration of technology and aircraft concepts.” I wish the application form was a little more specific.
Interestingly, there are no electric propulsion or flight startups here that are attracting significant investor funding that we have seen so far. It probably wasn’t worth the juice when they had VC money. Otherwise, their visions for the future of aviation are too different. (After all, they primarily manufacture personal helicopters.)
The AACES project is part of the Advanced Air Transport Technology Project, which is itself part of the Advanced Aircraft Program. If there are more layers on top of it, they were not listed.
