Engineers working on NASA’s X-57 Maxwell are closing in on the all-electric experimental airplane’s first flight test, expected as early as September 20.
An artist rendering of the final iteration of the all-electric X-57 Maxwell in flight. [Courtesy: NASA]
Key Takeaways:
NASA's all-electric X-57 Maxwell experimental airplane is nearing its first piloted flight test, potentially as early as September 20, marking NASA's first such flight in two decades.
The primary goal of the X-57 project is to gather research data and develop electric propulsion technology to help establish certification standards for the burgeoning electric aircraft industry.
The aircraft is a modified Tecnam P2006T, initially equipped with two electric motors, with later iterations planned to include 12 high-lift motors, two wingtip motors, and a specialized high-aspect-ratio wing for enhanced efficiency.
The development team working on NASA’s X-57 Maxwell are closing in on the all-electric experimental airplane’s first flight test, which the agency said could take place as soon as September 20, if all goes as planned.
This initial flight will make the aircraft—named for the 19th century Scottish scientist James Clerk Maxwell—NASA’s first piloted X-plane in two decades.
CREATE A FREE ACCOUNT
Sign up to keep reading
Create a free account to continue. Already a member? Sign in below.
Thom is a former senior editor for FLYING. Previously, his freelance reporting appeared in aviation industry magazines. Thom also spent three decades as a TV and digital journalist at CNN’s bureaus in Washington and Atlanta, eventually specializing in aviation. He has reported from air shows in Oshkosh, Farnborough and Paris. Follow Thom on Twitter @thompatterson.
