NASA Rolls Out X-59 Quiet Supersonic Demonstrator
NASA has finally revealed the X-59 quiet supersonic technology (Quesst) demonstrator aircraft that the agency says will pave the way for commercial supersonic flight over land. The space agency unveiled the X-59 on Friday during a public ceremony at Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works facility near NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Palmdale, California. Lockheed has been developing the X-59 for NASA’s low-boom flight demonstration mission since 2016.
For more than 50 years, supersonic aircraft have been prohibited from flying over the U.S. and other countries due to the noise pollution associated with the loud sonic boom that happens when an aircraft breaks the sound barrier. According to NASA, the X-59 will produce a significantly quieter “thump” than a sonic boom, which makes it more suitable for flying over populated areas.
Hawaii Launches Sea-glider Initiative for Interisland Transit
A coalition of Hawaiian businesses, government agencies, and community organizations launched the Hawaii Seaglider Initiative (HSI) this week to promote the use of electric sea gliders as a sustainable form of transportation for the state’s residents. HSI comprises more than a dozen prominent corporate and community organizations, including Hawaiian Airlines and several other major carriers. Regent, a Rhode Island-based company developing a 12-passenger sea glider called Viceroy, has also joined the coalition.
Sea gliders are a type of wing-in-ground-effect vehicle that fly exclusively above water by making use of an aerodynamic phenomenon known as the ground effect, in which air flowing below the vehicle provides lift. Using rechargeable batteries, they can fly at speeds of around 180 mph (290 kph) with zero emissions.
Safran Will Supply Wiring for VoltAero’s Cassio Hybrid-electric Aircraft
The electrical wiring system for VoltAero’s Cassio 330 hybrid-electric aircraft is to be provided by Safran Electrical & Power. The French aerospace group is already supplying its EngineUs 100 electric motors for VoltAero’s family of six- to 12-seat aircraft, and these will deliver maximum power of more than 150 kilowatts at takeoff.
The powertrain for Cassio’s propulsion system will combine Safran’s motors with a Kawasaki internal combustion system that can be used to extend range and recharge batteries in flight. VoltAero expects the aircraft to be acquired for multiple applications that could include subregional scheduled air services, on-demand charter flights, cargo deliveries, and medical evacuation support.
VoltAero, which is based in southwest France, has said it aims to start flight testing the first Cassio 330 prototype in 2024. It has already conducted flight testing with the propulsion system installed on a technology demonstrator aircraft that is based on an adapted Cessna 337 Skymaster. The larger Cassio models are to be designated as the 480 and 600.
ZeroAvia Evaluates Cryo-Compressed Hydrogen for Aircraft and Airports
ZeroAvia this week signed a memorandum of understanding with hydrogen storage and refueling specialist Verne to assess the use of cryo-compressed hydrogen for the regional airliners it is working to convert. The partners will evaluate operating procedures for supplying both gaseous and liquid hydrogen fuel to aircraft and also for storage arrangements at airports.
According to Verne, cryo-compressed hydrogen can deliver 40 percent greater usable hydrogen density than standard liquid hydrogen and 200 percent greater density than 350-bar gaseous hydrogen. The company also maintains that the process could significantly reduce operating costs and support quicker refueling times than other hydrogen fuels.
Initially, the two companies will conduct their collaborative work in California. Verne has developed four megawatts of hydrogen storage space and with the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, it recently announced a demonstration of its one-megawatt storage prototype for cryo-compressed fuel.
Airbus Opens ZeroE Development Center for Hydrogen-powered Aircraft
Airbus has opened its ZeroE Development Centre (ZEDC) for hydrogen aviation technology at its existing facility in Stade, Germany. The new unit has been tasked with accelerating the development of composite hydrogen storage tanks for liquid hydrogen.
The initiative is part of the European aerospace group’s wide ZeroE program aimed at bringing hydrogen-powered airliners into commercial service by around 2035. The center in Stade has received public funding from several sources.
“Establishing a composite-related ZEDC in Germany strengthens our research and technology footprint in the country and ensures the involvement, from the start, of leading experts to support our decarbonization ambition,” said Airbus’ chief technical officer, Sabine Klauke. “Furthermore, the ZEDC will benefit from the wider composite research and development ecosystem, such as the Airbus subsidiary Composite Technology Center, and CFK Nord [organization] in Stade, as well as from further synergies with space and maritime activities.”
Spanish Government Backs Crisalion’s eVTOL Project with R&D Funding
Spain’s CDTI Innovación Center for Technology Development and Innovation and the Grupo Valdemira’s Cuyam company are providing €5.4 million ($5.9 million) in funding for Crisalion Mobility’s five-passenger Integrity eVTOL aircraft. The support was announced ahead of the anticipated start of a €25 million Series B funding round for the Spanish start-up, which aims to bring the aircraft into service in 2025.
CDTI Innovación is part of Spain’s Ministry of Science, Innovation, and Universities and is providing support through its Innvierte program. Madrid-based Crisalion is receiving fund-raising assistance from the BlueBull investment bank.
According to Crisalion, its patented FlyFree propulsion and stability system will set it apart in a crowded field of lift-and-cruise and multicopter eVTOL vehicles. Four sets of four-rotor units are attached to a pair of booms on a fixed wing, with each operating independently to give what the company says will be a higher degree of control and reliability. The piloted battery-electric aircraft is expected to have a range of 100 kilometers (63 miles), a cruise speed of 180 kph (110 mph), and noise levels of 45 decibels.
