NASA Winds Up X-57 Maxwell Electric Plane Project Without A Single Flight

The electric propulsion technology is not advanced enough to be used for safe flight, thus ultimately leading to the program being axed.

今日の英語の習慣化の題材は...

NASAのElectric Plane X-57の記事からです。

どうやら計画延期みたいですね。

まだ、安全性に不安があり... やっぱりBatteryでしょうね！

まぁ、とにかく記事をご一読！

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has decided to pull the plug on the X-57 Maxwell test aircraft at the end of the year. NASA was working on a modified version of the aircraft powered by batteries with the end goal of becoming an electric aircraft.

About the X-57
The X-57 is a modified version of the P2006T, which is a twin-engined aircraft designed by the Italian aircraft manufacturer Tecnam. However, NASA, in order to test battery-powered electric propulsion, modified the P2006T with an array of six electric motors on each of the leading edges of high-winged aircraft and a larger motor on the wingtip of each wing.

NASA believes the X-57 will be more efficient and reliable with electric propulsion powered by rechargeable lithium-ion batteries. Furthermore, with no fuel being combusted, there will not be any greenhouse emissions, thus making the operating cost of the aircraft significantly cheaper.