NASA unveils its first all-electric airplane, the ‘Maxwell’

NASA, most prominent for its many Florida-launched exploits into space, showcased an early version of its first all-electric experimental aircraft, the X-57 "Maxwell," on Friday at its lesser-known aeronautics lab in the California desert.

Adapted from a Italian-made Tecnam P2006T twin-engine propeller plane, the X-57 has been under development since 2015 and remains at least a year away from its first test flight in the skies over Edward Air Force Base.

But after attaching the two largest of 14 electric motors that will ultimately propel the plane - powered by specially designed lithium ion batteries - NASA deemed the Maxwell ready for its first public preview.

NASA also showed off a newly built simulator that allows engineers, and pilots, to get the feel of what it will be like to maneuver the finished version of the X-57 in flight, even as the plane remains under development.

The Maxwell is the latest in a proud line of experimental aircraft the National Aeronautics and Space Administration has developed over many decades for many purposes, including the bullet-shaped Bell X-1 that first broke the sound barrier and the X-15 rocket plane flown by Neil Armstrong before he joined the Apollo moon team.

The Maxwell will be the agency's first crewed X-plane to be developed in two decades.

While private companies have been developing all-electric planes and hover-craft for years, NASA's X-57 venture is aimed at designing and improving technology according to standards that commercial manufacturers can adapt for government certification.

#NASA #GlobalNews #ElectricPlane #TheMaxwell

[LordSesshaku]

People asking "is this safe?" "what happens IF" are really not getting the point of an experimental plane program. This program exists precisely to try technology, find problems, create solutions, etc. So stop worrying, if you ever fly on a commercial all electric plane, it will be long after this program ends.

[summersky]

This is nothing new. The general aviation manufacturers are already all over this. Show me a battery technology that can transport 300 people over an ocean, and you'll get my attention.

[jptrainor]

A 747 holds about 200, 000 litres of fuel. There is 10 kWh of energy per litre. The gas turbine engines on an aircraft are about 40% efficient. So that's 200, 000*10*0.4 = 800, 000 kWh of equivalent stored electrical energy. A Tesla 3 battery is 75 kWh. So the 747 would require about 11, 000 Tesla three batteries. A Telsa 3 battery weighs about 1000 lb. So that's 11 million lbs of batteries to power the 747. A 747 has maximum take off weight of 910, 000 lb, or about 1 million pounds. So we're an order of magnitude away in terms of weight, without considering cargo, passengers, or the weight of the plane's structure. That also doesn't consider the cabin heating load, which is substantial. Assuming that one could make an engine that even had the thrust necessary to fly the plane. A Tesla level 3 super charger's sustained charge rate is about 150 kW. So to charge the 747 batteries in a reasonable amount of time (under and hour) we'd need 11, 000 * 150 kW = 1650000 kW = 1.6 GW of power. So expect to build a dedicated, very large, power generation plant, at every airport. Something on the order of two or three 5 GW nuclear power stations would be necessary at a large airport. A small airport might get away with one nuclear power plant or about 1000-2000 large wind turbines or 1000-2000 square kilometres of solar. And God help the firefighters trying to contain an out of control electrical fire, or a short circuit, in a fully charged 800, 000 kWh battery, and the passengers trying to escape it. Imagine the scenarios.

[RonnieToo]

Omg what happens when the plane suddenly reaches the end of the extension can it do an emergency landing or does it just plummet to earth?

[juligrlee]

I would assume that the wind passing any moving aircraft could be harnessed as well to provide electric power generation

[LossyLossnitzer]

Seems a bit silly that NASA is developing this type of stuff - They should be looking at other stuff let Boeing/Tesla or some other tech company build it

[andywei]

This is not an "unveil". We only see them talking and tweaking and shown a cgi plane instead of a working prototype. In essence, they are simply modifying an already existing commercial model.

[pissoffu]

Nasa should of built this 20 years ago.

[mikeh]

This should be called the Maxwell Smart in honour of Don Adams' TV character by the same name. He was not a smart guy. Putting your engines at the wing tips is a very bad idea in several areas. Rotational inertia in a spin is one major issue. Any problem with engine asymmetry (such as a failure) will have it's maximum detrimental effect with engines mounted at the wing tips. This is a planform that is inviting control problems that can kill people. Design planes for stability and failure recovery first and foremost.

[memezlife]

This plane looks more Accurate on landing

[unaifmuhammed]

I felt future will disappeare petroleum Vehicles

[laziacoff]

what happened that night with fidel and maggie, i wonder. does it matter. how does all the fuel on a jet get stored. which fallen angel was it that taught men how to manipulate plastics.

[brendabest]

Uhhhh what happens if you end up in a lightning storm ?

[jimmybritt]

Why an Italian plane over existing american NASA

[ramalama]

What happens when you say fly at 38, 000 feet and it’s really these batteries keep work like the energizer bunny? You wont catch me in one of these until they have flown for at least ten years!

[pissoffu]

Nasa gives you a cgi of flight. FO masa

[RanciDMonkeY]

Hey everyone this is great! No joke, now they can seamlessly integrate zero point energy into a clean aeronautical system that each of us can use. Additionally no one will be the wiser. Go NASA Go! Also remember to copyright your integration tech so that you can actively start funding your other programs. You know, the bulk of the trillions of tax payer dollars end up in all those black projects all the time, and you guys should really be getting that money.

[wolfgangk]

Why not call it "The Trump"? to make America great again.