Boeing has shared its latest vision of sustainable aviation with a new rendering of the X-66, an experimental aircraft it is building through NASA’s sustainable flight demonstrator project.
The aircraft, which is based on a modified McDonnell Douglas MD-90 platform, features diagonal struts, known as Transonic Truss-Braced Wing (TTBW) concept. It’s a distinctive design that, when paired with advancements in propulsion and systems architecture, could slash fuel consumption and emissions by up to 30 percent, according to the space agency.
“As NASA and Boeing enter the early stages of producing the X-66, the first X-plane specifically focused on helping the United States achieve net-zero aviation emissions by 2050, the team is already picturing what the aircraft will look like soaring above the clouds,” NASA said in a statement Thursday.
Boeing began production work in August, when it relocated a MD-90 to its Palmdale, California, facility. According to NASA, the company has removed the aircraft’s engines and begun modifications.
Following production, Boeing will also partner with NASA to test and fly the demonstrator aircraft. Flight testing is expected to begin in 2028.
“The project seeks to inform a new generation of more sustainable single-aisle aircraft—the workhorse of passenger airlines around the world,” NASA said.
