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.
