NASA has shared details of its new all-electric plane that is set to take off to the sky this autumn. The plane is designed to run completely on electric batteries, stepping away from regular fuel-powered planes.
Known as the X-57, the plane is lightweight, which helps it use less power over the same distance compared to traditional fuel-powered planes. It also produces less noise.
The plane is currently being prepared for initial tests. The NASA experts will be collecting data on the 4-seater electric plane and comparing it with the fuel-powered counterpart of the same design which was constructed by the Italian Tecnam corporation.
With aviation-based pollution growing every year, the industry must be tamed to control pollution. A recent study found that aircraft is the fastest-growing source of greenhouse gas pollution in the US alone. Since 1990, there has been a 17% increase in the pollution caused by aircraft.
Previously, NASA was mainly focused on space research however, the company has recently extended their budget to include earth-bound issues. The aim of NASA is to use the X-57 to show that electric airplanes can perform much better than fuel-powered ones. The plane is expected to lower operational costs while at the same time leading to zero emissions. If it’s a success, this will be a step toward achieving a cleaner, cheaper, and quieter future for aviation.
