NASA partners with Boeing to develop a low-emissions plane

The US space agency and aviation giant Boeing have announced that they are partnering to develop a next-generation, lower-carbon commercial airliner.

The goal: to produce future commercial aircraft that are “more fuel-efficient, with benefits for the environment, the commercial aviation industry and passengers around the world,” space agency chief Bill Nelson said.

30% reduction in fuel consumption

The agreement requires NASA and Boeing to build, test and fly a full-scale single-aisle demonstrator.

“The technologies shown and tested through the program will inspire future projects and could lead to advances in aerodynamics and advances in fuel economy,” according to Boeing.

According to NASA, engineers will try to develop an aircraft with a 30% reduction in fuel consumption and emissions compared to today’s cheapest single-aisle aircraft.

The space agency plans to complete testing of the program in the late 2020s so that the technologies and design can be applied to the next generation of single-aisle aircraft.

Single-aisle jets are the most common aircraft in airline fleets and account for nearly half of global aviation emissions, according to NASA.

Boeing and NASA plan to test an innovative wing that creates less drag and burns less fuel.