The project is set to wrap in September 2023, but NASA claims that the finalization of « flight operations » won’t include X-57’s first flight.
NASA is set to complete work on its X-57 Electric Aircraft in a few months, but the plane is unlikely to ever take to the skies. The project is set to wrap in September 2023, but NASA claims that the finalization of « flight operations » won’t include X-57’s first flight.
The X-57 is a propeller plane powered by a series of lithium-ion batteries. Silicon carbide transistors are used to deliver power with 98% efficiency, which is useful for periods that require intense bursts of energy luke takeoff. The plane itself would be capable of flying for an hour, should it ever be taken on a flight. But it was always intended to be a proof of concept, rather than an actual aerial vehicle.
Although the end result may never touch the clouds, NASA still sees the project as successful. The agency says that it « provides aviation researchers with hundreds of lessons learned, as well as revolutionary development in areas ranging from battery technology to cruise motor control design.
