NASA has showcased an early version of its first all-electric experimental aircraft, the X-57 “Maxwell,” at its aeronautics lab in the California desert.
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Adapted from an Italian-made Tecnam P2006T twin-engine propeller plane, the X-57 has been under development since 2015 and remains at least a year away from its first test flight in the skies over Edward Air Force Base. NASA attached the two largest of 14 electric motors that will ultimately propel the plane - powered by specially designed lithium ion batteries before its first public preview.
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The Maxwell is the latest in a proud line of experimental aircraft the National Aeronautics and Space Administration has developed over many decades for many purposes, including the bullet-shaped Bell X-1 that first broke the sound barrier and the X-15 rocket plane flown by Neil Armstrong before he joined the Apollo moon team. Maxwell will be the agency’s first crewed X-plane to be developed in two decades.
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NASA has also showed off a newly built simulator that allows engineers, and pilots, to get the feel of what it will be like to manoeuvre the finished version of the X-57 in flight, even as the plane remains under development. NASA’s X-57 venture is aimed at designing and proving technology according to standards that commercial manufacturers can adapt for government certification.
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The final modification, or Mod IV, of the aircraft will feature narrower, lighter-weight wings fitted with a total of 14 electric engines - six smaller “lift” props along the leading edge of each wing, plus two larger “cruise” props at the tip of each wing. The lift propellers will be activated for take-off and landings, but retract during the flight’s cruise phase.
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There is one challenge, which is to improve battery technology to store more energy to extend the plane’s range, with faster re-charging. Because of current battery limitations, the Maxwell’s design is envisioned for use in short-haul flights as an air-taxi or commuter plane for a small number of passengers.
