How NASA Plans To Usher In A New, Greener Era Of Air Travel

You’re probably familiar with many of NASA’s previous flights, including missions to the moon and frequent shuttles to the International Space Station.

But the agency’s latest foray into flight won’t be leaving our planet’s atmosphere. And believe it or not, it could have a bigger impact on humanity than all the others combined.

Introducing the X-66A

While its name might not sound all that inspiring, this new “X-plane” design has been strategically designed to help tackle what could be the world’s biggest existential problem: climate change.

The aircraft represents a collaboration with Boeing and is slated to represent a brand-new era in commercial flight. A special project known as the Sustainable Flight Demonstrator brought together the best minds available and the end result is this clever, if slightly weird-looking, plane.

As confirmed in an announcement earlier this week, the X-66A:

• Contains a single aisle in its fuselage
• Boasts a look that closely resembles a glider
• Features truss-style wings that reduce drag

It all boils down to an energy-efficient design that experts believe will dramatically reduce the amount of fuel needed to transport people through the air.

Singing its praises

Although still in its development phase, those involved in the X-plane’s design believe there’s a lot to love so far.

According to Boeing executive Todd Citron, it represents the latest addition “in a long line of experimental aircraft used to validate breakthrough designs that have transformed aviation.”

Since air travel is one of the biggest sources of pollution, any advancement in this industry will be well-received by environmentalists everywhere.

“With the learnings gained from design, construction, and flight-testing, we’ll have an opportunity to shape the future of flight and contribute to the decarbonization of aerospace,” Citron concluded.

Chris Agee June 15th, 2023

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