NASA and Boeing unveil experimental X-66A aircraft to test sustainable design, tech

“At NASA, our eyes are not just focused on stars but also fixated on the sky. The Sustainable Flight Demonstrator builds on NASA’s world-leading efforts in aeronautics as well as climate. The X-66A will help shape the future of aviation, a new era where aircraft are greener, cleaner, and quieter, and create new possibilities for the flying public and American industry alike,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson in a press statement released on Monday.

As part of its Aviation Climate Action Plan, the United States has an ambitious goal to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by the year 2050. According to Bob Pearce, associate administrator for NASA’s Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate, transformative aircraft concepts like those found on the X-66A will be essential to realise that goal.

The X-66A will be used to test the “Transonic Truss-Braced Wing” configuration. This, when combined with other advancements, including in propulsion systems, materials, and systems architecture, could help reduce fuel consumption by as much as 30 per cent less fuel consumption, according to NASA.

The Transonic Truss-Braced Wing is the name given to extra-long thin wings that are stabilised by diagonal struts. The idea is that this design could be more fuel-efficient than traditional wing designs because it will experience less drag as it flies.