NASA to build supersonic ‘X-planes’
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The return of supersonic passenger air travel has moved closer to reality after NASA unveiled plans to develop a new series of ‘X-planes’.
The US space agency has awarded a contract to California’s Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company for the preliminary design of a “low boom” flight demonstration aircraft. This is the first in a series of X-planes being created by NASA’s New Aviation Horizons initiative, which is aiming to develop quieter supersonic passenger jets.
NASA administrator Charles Bolden announced the award at an event on Monday at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Virginia.
“NASA is working hard to make flight greener, safer and quieter – all while developing aircraft that travel faster, and building an aviation system that operates more efficiently,” said Bolden.
“It’s worth noting that it’s been almost 70 years since Chuck Yeager broke the sound barrier in the Bell X-1 as part of our predecessor agency’s high-speed research. Now we’re continuing that supersonic X-plane legacy with this preliminary design award for a quieter supersonic jet with an aim toward passenger flight.”
Lockheed Martin will now receive about US$20 million over 17 months for the project, which will incorporate the basic aircraft design and specifications. The aircraft is then expected to enter flight testing in around 2020.
“Developing, building and flight testing a quiet supersonic X-plane is the next logical step in our path to enabling the industry’s decision to open supersonic travel for the flying public,” said Jaiwon Shin, associate administrator for NASA’s Aeronautics Research Mission.
The world has been without a supersonic passenger jet since Concorde’s last commercial flight in October 2003. But other companies are also planning to relaunch supersonic aircraft, including Airbus which has teamed up with Aerion for its new AS2 business jet.
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