Explore Search
 
 News & Events
											News & Events
															All NASA News
															Video Series on NASA+
															Podcasts
															Blogs
															Newsletters
															Social Media
															Media Resources
															Upcoming Launches & Landings
															Virtual Events
					Multimedia
											Multimedia
															NASA+
															Images
															NASA TV
															Sounds and Ringtones
															Interactives
															NASA Apps
															Podcasts
															e-Books
															STEM Multimedia
					NASA+


Search
 Suggested Searches Climate Change
								Artemis
								Expedition 64
								Mars perseverance
								SpaceX Crew-2
								International Space Station
							View All Topics A-Z


HomeMissionsHumans in SpaceEarth & ClimateThe Solar SystemThe UniverseScienceAeronauticsTechnologyLearning ResourcesAbout NASAEspañol			News & Events
			Multimedia
			NASA+
 Featured Sols 4214–4215: The Best Laid Plans...3 min readSols 4214–4215: The Best Laid Plans...article1 day ago Hubble Observes a Cosmic Fossil2 min readHubble Observes a Cosmic Fossilarticle20 hours ago Voyager 1 Returning Science Data From All Four Instruments2 min readVoyager 1 Returning Science Data From All Four Instrumentsarticle1 day ago
 Back
 Missions Search All NASA MissionsA to Z List of MissionsUpcoming Launches and LandingsSpaceships and RocketsCommunicating with MissionsArtemisJames Webb Space TelescopeHubble Space TelescopeInternational Space Station
 Humans in Space Why Go to SpaceAstronautsCommercial SpaceDestinationsSpaceships and RocketsLiving in Space
 Earth & Climate Explore Earth ScienceClimate ChangeEarth, Our PlanetEarth Science in ActionEarth MultimediaEarth DataEarth Science Researchers
 The Solar System The SunMercuryVenusEarthThe MoonMarsJupiterSaturnUranusNeptunePluto & Dwarf PlanetsAsteroids, Comets & MeteorsThe Kuiper BeltThe Oort CloudSkywatching
 The Universe ExoplanetsThe Search for Life in the UniverseStarsGalaxiesBlack HolesThe Big BangDark Energy & Dark Matter
 Science Earth SciencePlanetary ScienceAstrophysics & Space ScienceThe Sun & HeliophysicsBiological & Physical SciencesLunar ScienceCitizen ScienceAstromaterialsAeronautics ResearchHuman Space Travel Research
 Aeronautics Science in the AirNASA AircraftFlight InnovationSupersonic FlightAir Traffic SolutionsGreen Aviation TechDrones & You
 Technology Technology Transfer & SpinoffsSpace Travel TechnologyTechnology Living in SpaceManufacturing and MaterialsRoboticsScience InstrumentsComputing
 Learning Resources For Kids and StudentsFor EducatorsFor Colleges and UniversitiesFor ProfessionalsScience for EveryoneRequests for Exhibits, Artifacts, or SpeakersSTEM Engagement at NASA
 About NASA NASA's ImpactsCenters and FacilitiesDirectoratesOrganizationsPeople of NASACareersInternshipsOur HistoryDoing Business with NASAGet InvolvedContact
 Español CienciaAeronáuticaCiencias TerrestresSistema SolarUniverso
 News & Events All NASA NewsVideo Series on NASA+PodcastsBlogsNewslettersSocial MediaMedia ResourcesUpcoming Launches & LandingsVirtual Events
 Multimedia NASA+ImagesNASA TVSounds and RingtonesInteractivesNASA AppsPodcastse-BooksSTEM Multimedia
 Highlights A large propeller plane takes off from a runway, surrounded by brown and green grasses with low buildings out of focus in the background. The plane is white with a blue stripe down the middle, and has a NASA logo on the tail. The sky is a hazy blue with some clouds.

	2 min read

		NASA-Led Mission to Map Air Pollution Over Both U.S. Coasts

		article

			12 hours ago Students watch a sounding rocket launch at sunrise.

	4 min read

		NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility to Launch Student Experiments

		article

			13 hours ago NASA’s Hubble Restarts Science in New Pointing Mode

	3 min read

		NASA’s Hubble Restarts Science in New Pointing Mode

		article

			13 hours ago
 Highlights A woman with long, wavy hair and a bright smile sits at a round table during a formal event, surrounded by other attendees. She is wearing a brown cardigan and a patterned blouse.

	5 min read

		Lakita Lowe: Leading Space Commercialization Innovations and Fostering STEM Engagement

		article

			3 days ago NASA’s Repository Supports Research of Commercial Astronaut Health

	2 min read

		NASA’s Repository Supports Research of Commercial Astronaut Health

		article

			4 days ago NASA astronaut Doug “Wheels” Wheelock and Axiom Space astronaut Peggy Whitson prepare for a test of full-scale mockups of spacesuits developed by Axiom Space and SpaceX’s Starship human landing system developed for NASA’s Artemis missions to the Moon.

	4 min read

		NASA Astronauts Practice Next Giant Leap for Artemis

		article

			1 week ago
 Highlights A large propeller plane takes off from a runway, surrounded by brown and green grasses with low buildings out of focus in the background. The plane is white with a blue stripe down the middle, and has a NASA logo on the tail. The sky is a hazy blue with some clouds.

	2 min read

		NASA-Led Mission to Map Air Pollution Over Both U.S. Coasts

		article

			12 hours ago NASA Announces New System to Aid Disaster Response

	4 min read

		NASA Announces New System to Aid Disaster Response

		article

			1 day ago Amendment 21: A.3 Ocean Biology and Biogeochemistry: NSPIRES cover page issue and Delay of Proposal Due Date

	2 min read

		Amendment 21: A.3 Ocean Biology and Biogeochemistry: NSPIRES cover page issue and Delay of Proposal Due Date

		article

			3 days ago
 Highlights The Next Full Moon is the Strawberry Moon

	17 min read

		The Next Full Moon is the Strawberry Moon

		article

			1 day ago Mars Dunes

	5 min read

		NASA’s Perseverance Fords an Ancient River to Reach Science Target

		article

			2 days ago Ed Stone, former director of JPL and project scientist for the Voyager mission, died on June 9, 2024. A friend, mentor, and colleague to many, he was known for his straightforward leadership and commitment to communicating with the public.

	5 min read

		Ed Stone, Former Director of JPL, Voyager Project Scientist, Dies

		article

			3 days ago
 Featured Hubble Observes a Cosmic Fossil

	2 min read

		Hubble Observes a Cosmic Fossil

		article

			20 hours ago WL20 group of stars is located in the Rho Ophiuchi star-forming region

	5 min read

		NASA’s Webb Reveals Long-Studied Star Is Actually Twins

		article

			1 day ago Artist's illustration of a star system near the Sun that is close enough to Earth for exoplanets in their habitable zones to be directly imaged using future telescopes.

	4 min read

		Coming in Hot — NASA’s Chandra Checks Habitability of Exoplanets

		article

			3 days ago
 Highlights Hubble Observes a Cosmic Fossil

	2 min read

		Hubble Observes a Cosmic Fossil

		article

			20 hours ago Voyager 1 Returning Science Data From All Four Instruments

	2 min read

		Voyager 1 Returning Science Data From All Four Instruments

		article

			1 day ago WL20 group of stars is located in the Rho Ophiuchi star-forming region

	5 min read

		NASA’s Webb Reveals Long-Studied Star Is Actually Twins

		article

			1 day ago
 Highlights Illustration showing several future aircraft concepts flying over a mid-sized city with a handful of skyscrapers.

	7 min read

		ARMD Solicitations

		article

			1 week ago Team “Rumble Ready” from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, comprised of (from left to right) Professor Mark Gonda, Nicole Xie, Junaid Bodla, Jordan Ragsac, Krishi Gajjar, Gerald McAllister III, and Leara Dominguez, took home first place at the 2024 Gateways to Blue Skies Forum held May 30-31 at NASA Ames Research Center. They are standing in a row posing for the photo; the team members are wearing blue t-shirts, black pants, and tennis shoes.

	4 min read

		Winners Announced in Gateways to Blue Skies Aeronautics Competition

		article

			2 weeks ago Graphic shows a possible future General Electric jet engine with exposed fan blades in front of a cut-away-interior view of its core mechanisms -- all part of NASA's HyTEC research project.

	4 min read

		NASA, Industry to Start Designing More Sustainable Jet Engine Core

		article

			4 weeks ago
 Highlights Simulated Roman image full of synthetic galaxies

	6 min read

		NASA’s Roman Mission Gets Cosmic ‘Sneak Peek’ From Supercomputers

		article

			3 days ago Ed Stone, former director of JPL and project scientist for the Voyager mission, died on June 9, 2024. A friend, mentor, and colleague to many, he was known for his straightforward leadership and commitment to communicating with the public.

	5 min read

		Ed Stone, Former Director of JPL, Voyager Project Scientist, Dies

		article

			3 days ago Astronaut-packaged cheese sandwiches

	2 min read

		Food Safety Program for Space Has Taken Over on Earth

		article

			5 days ago
 Featured A team from Iowa accepts its Artemis grand prize award during NASA’s Lunabotics competition on Friday, May 17, 2024, at the Center for Space Education near the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida.

	5 min read

		Artemis Generation Shines During NASA’s 2024 Lunabotics Challenge

		article
			2 weeks ago
 Highlights Students watch a sounding rocket launch at sunrise.

	4 min read

		NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility to Launch Student Experiments

		article

			13 hours ago A large propeller plane takes off from a runway, surrounded by brown and green grasses with low buildings out of focus in the background. The plane is white with a blue stripe down the middle, and has a NASA logo on the tail. The sky is a hazy blue with some clouds.

	2 min read

		NASA-Led Mission to Map Air Pollution Over Both U.S. Coasts

		article

			12 hours ago NASA astronaut and Expedition 64 Flight Engineer Victor Glover reviews procedures on a computer for the Monoclonal Antibodies Protein Crystal Growth (PCG) experiment inside the Harmony module.

	2 min read

		NASA Joins National Space Council in Celebration of Black Space Week

		article

			11 hours ago
 Highlights NASA Astronaut Official Portrait Frank Rubio

	5 min read

		Astronauta de la NASA Frank Rubio

		article

			14 hours ago 2021 Astronaut Candidates Stand in Recognition

	6 min read

		Diez maneras en que los estudiantes pueden prepararse para ser astronautas

		article

			3 months ago Astronaut Marcos Berrios

	4 min read

		Astronauta de la NASA Marcos Berríos

		article

			3 months ago


6 min read Five New Ideas to be Explored by NASA Aeronautics Teams


Jim Banke Managing Editor/Senior Writer
 
 
 
 Contents
 FUELEAP: Fostering Ultra-Efficient Low-Emitting Aviation Power
							Compact Additively Manufactured Innovative Electric Motor
							LION: Lithium Oxygen Batteries for NASA Electric Aircraft
							Spanwise Adaptive Wing
							Lightweight, Conformal Antennas for Beyond Line of Sight Communications
 Storing enough electrical energy on board for an airplane to get from gate to gate is a continuing challenge for aviation. NASA engineers will study using Lithium-Air batteries, which have the highest theoretical battery storage capacity of any battery technology.
NASA / Lillian Gipson
 They might not work, but no one will know for sure unless they’re given a chance. That’s the general idea behind the recent selection of five aviation-related technologies for vigorous study as part of NASA’s ongoing Convergent Aeronautics Solutions project during the next two years of so, which itself is now in its second year. Researchers will study a new kind of fuel cell, increasing electric motor output with the help of 3D printing, use of Lithium-Air batteries to store energy, new mechanisms for changing the shape of a wing in flight and basing a new antenna design on the use of lightweight aerogel. “These five innovative concepts, in addition to the six we selected in 2015, have the potential to help us solve some of the biggest challenges we face in aviation,” said Doug Rohn, NASA’s manager for the Transformative Aeronautics Concepts Program. Those challenges include shrinking fuel use, reducing aviation’s impact on the environment and quieting noise around airports, all at a time when the skies are being filled with an increasing amount of traffic all across the globe. And just as was the case last year, it’s very possible that after these studies are completed, researchers may find that for whatever reason – technology, cost, the laws of physics – the answer is no, it’s not feasible. At least not right now. “Is failure an option? It depends on your definition of failure. We’re going to ask the questions and see if these ideas are feasible or not. A successful feasibility assessment may determine the concept won’t work,” Rohn said. The five study teams selected this year represent researchers from a variety of technical disciplines who work across NASA’s aeronautics centers in Virginia, California and Ohio. Each study was required to be multidisciplinary, involve multiple centers, directly relate to addressing one or more of NASA aeronautics strategic research goals, and do all of this in a way that is transformative in pushing the state-of-the-art in aviation. The technologies to be studied were selected following a two-day series of presentations from a number of teams who presented in a competitive environment very reminiscent of what entrepreneur’s experience when pitching investors. The five ideas selected this year for feasibility studies include: NASA researchers are looking into using a new type of fuel cell that takes hydrogen from standard aviation gas, and oxygen from the air, and combines the two elements to generate electricity to power an all-electric or hybrid electric airplane.
 FUELEAP: Fostering Ultra-Efficient Low-Emitting Aviation Power The idea here is to see if a new kind of fuel cell can be used to generate power for an electrically-propelled General Aviation-sized aircraft. Fuel cells combine hydrogen and oxygen to generate electricity and have been a staple of NASA’s human spaceflight programs going back to Project Gemini during the mid-1960s. Typically, the hydrogen and oxygen is stored onboard the vehicle as super cold liquids, requiring complex and expensive tankage and plumbing that would not be practical for a small, single-engine airplane. Researchers will study a fuel cell system that would be able to pull hydrogen from standard hydrocarbon-based aviation gas, pull oxygen from the air, and then combine the hydrogen and oxygen to generate electricity. Exhaust products from the process also would be used to increase energy output through a turbine. The fuel cell would generate this energy more efficiently than if the fuel were burned in a standard piston engine, thus saving fuel and reducing emissions. Such a system also could be supported by airports right now as it wouldn’t require any expensive new facilities or equipment to be installed. It won’t work quite like this, but NASA researchers are exploring the use of 3-D printing to manufacture lighter and stronger parts that can be assembled to create a more powerful electric motor.
 Compact Additively Manufactured Innovative Electric Motor As NASA considers all options for achieving its research goals related to green aviation during the next decade and beyond, all-electric and hybrid electric aircraft offer promising solutions. But in addition to the challenges associated with electrical power generation and battery storage, researchers hope to improve the power density – a measure of the size and mass of a motor in relation the power it puts out – of the electrical motors that turn the propellers or fans which generate thrust. The question addressed here is can the increasingly capable process of 3D printing be used in producing electric motor parts that are significantly lighter, perhaps smaller, and made with materials that when assembled together will result in motors with higher power densities. LION: Lithium Oxygen Batteries for NASA Electric Aircraft One obstacle for widely adopting electric-powered aircraft is the extraordinary demand for storing enough energy in batteries, even for small planes traveling short distances. A potential answer is the use of Lithium-Air (Li-Air) batteries, which have the highest theoretical energy storage capacity of any battery technology. Li-Air batteries are “breathing batteries.”  That means that as the battery is drained of its energy, oxygen is pulled into the battery to react with Lithium ions, and as the battery is being charged, the oxygen is expelled. Unfortunately, standard electrolytes – the internal material that enables the battery to work – when used with Li-Air batteries quickly decompose during operation, making the battery useless after only a few charge/discharge cycles. This team of researchers will investigate the feasibility of designing, novel, ultra-stable electrolytes that are resistant to decomposition so the batteries will last longer, allowing aircraft to extend the distance they can fly. NASA researchers are examining mechanical methods for moving a segment of an airplane’s outer wing in flight in order to allow designers to use smaller tails, which would reduce fuel use and emissions.
 Spanwise Adaptive Wing One concept for making airliners more fuel, emissions and noise efficient is to reduce the size of the vertical tail. The tail size is based on the need to be able to keep an airplane centered on the runway in the event of engine failures during takeoff or landing. Once an airplane is at cruising altitude, the larger tail just adds fuel-wasting mass and drag. A potential solution is to design the airplane’s wing so good-sized outer portion at either end can fold up or down as needed to act as a rudder at the beginning and ending of a flight, enabling the main vertical tail to be smaller. The challenge is how best to accomplish the mechanical task of moving the hardware. Questions to be answered include how best to achieve a compact and lightweight design, and would that design include conventional actuators or something more novel? Researchers will investigate using a strong but lightweight version of aerogel, similar to what is seen here, as a foundation for a powerful form-fitting antenna that could be attached nearly flush to the curving surface of an Unmanned Aerial System vehicle.
NASA
 Lightweight, Conformal Antennas for Beyond Line of Sight Communications One challenge limiting the growth of commercial Unmanned Aerial System vehicles, or drones, flying in the National Airspace System is the current requirement that all such aircraft be operated within the radio line of sight of its ground-based pilot operator. Relaying command and control communications through a satellite-based tracking system is a potential answer, but the associated antenna systems can be heavy and protrude from an aircraft’s surface – increasing drag, fuel use and emissions. Researchers hope to enable satellite-based communications by deploying a flexible antenna whose foundation is made of lightweight and very thin aerogel that can snugly conform to the contours of an aircraft – reducing drag, fuel use and emissions. A key feature of the proposed antenna will be its ability to transmit signals in specific directions, assuring strong links with satellites while minimizing interference with the ground when the aircraft is flying lower. More from NASA Aeronautics


About the Author
 Jim Banke
 Jim Banke is a veteran aviation and aerospace communicator with more than 35 years of experience as a writer, producer, consultant, and project manager based at Cape Canaveral, Florida. He is part of NASA Aeronautics' Strategic Communications Team and is Managing Editor for the Aeronautics topic on the NASA website.


@NASA @NASAaero @NASA_es
 @NASA @NASAaero @NASA_es
 @NASA @NASAaero @NASA_es
 @NASA


Explore More
			7 min read
								ARMD Solicitations
																Article
									1 week ago
									4 min read
								Winners Announced in Gateways to Blue Skies Aeronautics Competition
																Article
									2 weeks ago
									1 min read
								NASA TACP Team Visits with UCF Students, Faculty
																Article
									3 weeks ago


Discover More Topics From NASA
 Missions Humans In Space Solar System Exploration
							Why Oceans Matter The story of oceans is the story of life. Life as we know it requires three ingredients:... Explore NASA’s History


Share
		Details
				Last Updated
					Sep 15, 2023
			EditorAbigail CasasContactJim Bankejim.banke@nasa.gov
	Related TermsAeronauticsAeronautics Research Mission DirectorateAeronautics TechnologyConvergent Aeronautics SolutionsFlight InnovationTransformative Aeronautics Concepts Program




The National Aeronautics and Space Administration NASA explores the unknown in air and space, innovates for the benefit of humanity, and inspires the world through discovery. About NASA's Mission Join Us
 Home
								News & Events
								Multimedia
								NASA+
								Missions
								Humans in Space
								Earth & Climate
								The Solar System
								The Universe
								Science
								Aeronautics
								Technology
								Learning Resources
								About NASA
								NASA en Español
 Follow NASA
 More NASA Social Accounts
                            NASA Newsletters
 Sitemap
						For Media
						Privacy Policy
						FOIA
						No FEAR Act
						Office of the IG
						Budget & Annual Reports
						Agency Financial Reports
						Contact NASA
						Accessibility
 Page Last Updated:
								Sep 15, 2023
							Page Editor:
								Lillian Gipson
												Responsible NASA Official:
							Abigail Bowman