The US space agency (NASA) and aviation giant Boeing are teaming up to develop a next-generation commercial aircraft with lower CO2 emissions.
NASA will invest USD 425 million (approximately EUR 392 million) in this project over seven years, while Boeing and its partners will invest approximately USD 725 million (approximately EUR 669 million).
The goal is to produce future commercial aircraft “more fuel efficient, with benefits for the environment, the commercial aviation industry and passengers around the world,” space agency chief Bill Nelson said Thursday.
“If we are successful, we could see these technologies in the planes that will carry people in the 2030s,” the official added, quoted in a press release.
The agreement requires NASA and Boeing to build, test and fly a full-scale single-aisle prototype.
“The technologies presented and tested through the program will inspire future projects and could lead to advancements in aerodynamics and fuel economy,” Boeing stressed in turn.
The goal is to have an aircraft with 30% less fuel consumption and emissions
According to NASA, engineers will try to develop an aircraft with 30% less fuel consumption and emissions compared to today’s most fuel-efficient single-aisle aircraft.
The space agency plans to complete testing of the program by the late 2020s so that the technologies and design can be applied to next-generation single-aisle aircraft.
Single-aisle aircraft are the most common aircraft in airline fleets and are responsible for nearly half of global aviation emissions, according to NASA.
Boeing and NASA plan to test an innovative wing that generates less drag and uses less fuel.
Source: DN
