DWU 2023 Category Descriptions

• Weight:

o Advanced composite materials – Composite materials are made up of two or 

more materials with dissimilar properties and are be designed to take advantage 

of the properties of the materials that make them up. Advanced composite 

materials are a specific type of composite material made by combining 

reinforcing materials, like carbon fibers or fiberglass, with a resin. Advanced 

composite materials are used extensively in aircraft because they are very strong 

even though they are lightweight. 

▪ https://www.nasa.gov/aeroresearch/programs/aavp/ac 

o Tow steered composites structures – Traditionally, fibers in composite materials 

have been aligned in a singular direction within each layer. New techniques have 

made it possible to engineers to vary the alignment of fibers within a layer. 

Aligning the fibers in a curvilinear fashion can improve structural efficiency, 

lowering the weight because less material is required. 

▪ https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20180006190/downloads/201800061

90.pdf

o Damage arresting stitched composite structures – In many composite materials, 

fibers are located within individual layers. While the layers are very strong, 

delamination can occur. Delamination is when the material fails due to the layers 

separating. One way to combat this problem is through stitching. Stitching is a 

technique where fibers are woven through the layers, providing additional 

strength, and helping reduce the risk of delamination.

▪ http://www.tc.faa.gov/its/worldpac/techrpt/ar02-111.pdf

• Aircraft Configuration Technologies: 

o Truss-braced wing configuration – One potential way to increase the fuel 

efficiency of airplanes is to use thinner wings. For thinner wings to produce 
enough lift, more airflow over the wing is required. One way to increase airflow 

is to increase the length of the wings. The truss-braced configuration is designed 

to provide the additional support required for longer wings.

▪ https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20140011160/downloads/201400111

60.pdf

o Hybrid wing body configuration – A hybrid wing body, also called a blended wing 

body, is an airplane where the body and wing are combined. Some examples of 

this design are NASA’s X-48 airplane and the B-2.

▪ https://www.nasa.gov/centers/langley/news/factsheets/FS-2003-11-81-

LaRC.html

o Box wing configuration – In a box wing configuration, an airplane’s front wing is 

mounted on the lower part of the plane. This wing is then joined at the tips to a 

rear wing mounted on top of the plane. 

▪ https://www.nasa.gov/content/boxed-wing-reduces-drag 

o Over the wing nacelle (OWN) configuration – In a jet engine, the nacelle is the 

cylindrical housing that surrounds and protects the engine. An airplane using a 

OWN configuration would have the engine mounted above the wing rather than 

under the wing like in most current passenger airplanes. This can reduce aircraft 

noise for people on the ground because the wing effectively shields the noise. 

▪ https://ntts-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/t2p/prod/t2media/tops/pdf/LARTOPS-70.pdf

o Swing wing configuration – Airplanes designed with a swing wing or variable 

wing configuration have wings that can move while in flight. This enables the 

pilot to maximize the efficiency of the wings to reduce drag during take-off while 

fully extended and when swept back while flying also allowing the airplane to 

increase speed.

▪ https://www.nasa.gov/centers/dryden/pdf/121583main_FS-081-

DFRC.pdf
o Twin fuselage configuration – The fuselage is the “body” of the airplane. In a 

twin fuselage configuration, an airplane would have two separate fuselages. 

▪ https://www.nasa.gov/centers/armstrong/news/X-Press/twin-fuselagetowed-glider.html

o Double-bubble configuration – The double-bubble configuration is a much wider 

fuselage compared to traditional passenger aircraft. This increases the passenger 

carrying capacity of the airplane. At the same time, the fuselage can generate 

lift, decreasing the size of the wings required to fly the plane. 

▪ https://www.nasa.gov/content/the-double-bubble-d8-0

• Aerodynamics: 

o SMART Vortex Generators – These small, fin-like components on an airplane’s 

exterior help improve the aerodynamic performance by guiding airflow around 

it. Shape-memory alloys mixed with various metals are being tested in their 

ability to allow vortex generators to change shape, temperature, and speed to 

help improve an airplane’s performance and adapt during flight.

▪ https://www.nasa.gov/aeroresearch/nasa-looks-for-a-new-twist-onsustainable-aviation 

o Ultra-thin wings – Thinner wings reduce drag on an aircraft due to less friction 

between the airflow and the wing’s thickness. Less drag on an aircraft decreases 

fuel consumption. 

▪ https://www.nasa.gov/aeroresearch/wind-tunnel-testing-of-a-new-wingdesign 

o Active flow control (AFC) – Allows the pilot to control the aircraft’s aerodynamic 

flow field with the ability to turn it off and on, as needed, saving energy, 

reducing mechanical parts, thus reducing weight and drag on the aircraft.

▪ https://technology.nasa.gov/patent/LAR-TOPS-340 

o Natural laminar flow (NLF) – Laminar flow is the way airflow travels above and 

below the wing surface of an aircraft. Using an airfoil shape encourages laminar 
flow to reach further than conventional shapes allowing for a smoother flying 

performance reducing drag and fuel consumption.

▪ https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/19810010484/downloads/198100104

84.pdf

▪ https://blogs.nasa.gov/armstrong/2011/02/11/post_1296777084480/#:~

:text=Laminar%20flow%20is%20essentially%20the,of%20their%20shape

%20and%20size. 

o High-aspect ratio wings – The aspect ratio is the slenderness of a wing from tip 

to tip. Wings with a higher aspect ratio usually have longer wing spans allowing 

for lower drag and a slightly higher lift. 

▪ https://www.grc.nasa.gov/www/k12/VirtualAero/BottleRocket/airplane/geom.html 

• Propulsion Efficiency: 

o Electric aircraft propulsion (EAP) – This aircraft is powered by electricity reducing 

fuel and energy usage. These planes will be quieter, safer, and more 

environmentally friendly than traditional aircraft.

▪ https://www1.grc.nasa.gov/aeronautics/eap/ 

o Hybrid EAP – An aircraft that uses both fuel and electric power for flight allowing 

for reduced fuel and energy consumption. The electric battery is replenished by 

the power boost during the aircraft’s take off and climb allowing sufficient 

electric power for cruising.

▪ https://www1.grc.nasa.gov/aeronautics/eap/airplane-concepts/hybridelectric/ 

o Sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) – Fuel made from renewable biomass and waste 

resources with the ability to power an aircraft similar to petroleum-based jet fuel 

but with less greenhouse gas emissions.

▪ https://www.energy.gov/eere/bioenergy/sustainable-aviation-fuels 

o Renewable fuels – Using renewable fuels such as liquid hydrogen or ammonia 

may prove to an effective way to reduce airplane engine emissions in the future.
▪ https://www.nasa.gov/aeroresearch/university-researchers-movingelectrified-aviation-forward-with-nasa

o Boundary layer ingestion (BLI) – The boundary layer is the layer of slow flow air 

that develops along the aircraft’s surfaces. By utilizing the inlet and the fan at 

the back of an aircraft, the slow flow air is ingested and used as a thrust to help 

propel the aircraft. This helps the engines not work as hard which reduces fuel 

consumption and improves the overall efficiency of the aircraft.

▪ https://www1.grc.nasa.gov/aeronautics/bli/