NASA’s X-57 Maxwell All Electric Aircraft Powers Up

NASA’s X-57 Maxwell all electric aircraft has power! With the successful installation of two 400-pound lithium-ion battery packs in the cabin of the plane. The X-57 project is the agency’s first all-experimental electric aircraft, and an early part of NASA’s work to develop sustainable aviation solutions. Instead of aviation fuel, it will use commercial, rechargeable, lithium-ion batteries for the energy its motors need for flight. The X-57 project team repeatedly tested the batteries to ensure they can safely power the aircraft for an entire flight, and designed custom, lightweight cases to keep the batteries secure.

Credit: NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center