NASA, in 2023, has advanced aviation technologies to improve passenger experiences, stimulate U.S. economic growth, and create a future of cleaner, quieter, and safer skies — all while working to support the U.S. goal of reaching net-zero aviation greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
"This year, NASA continued to make the impossible, possible while sharing our story of discovery with the world. … We’re making great strides to make aviation more dependable and sustainable." said Bill Nelson, NASA Administrator.
Under a Funded Space Act Agreement, NASA and Boeing in 2023 began collaborating to build, test, and fly the X-66, a full-scale demonstrator aircraft intended to validate new fuel-efficient designs and green technologies aimed at lowering emissions for future single-aisle airliners. The X-66 represents a key step in helping the United States achieve its goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions from aviation by 2050.
Assembly of the Quesst mission’s X-59 supersonic aircraft at Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works in California was completed during 2023 with the installation of its jet engine, tail, and lower empennage. The aircraft was powered up, tested, and painted in anticipation of its official public debut and planned first flight in 2024.
Quesst is the name of NASA Aeronautics' mission to help take the first step toward enabling commercial, faster-than-sound air travel over land. The centerpiece of the mission is NASA's X-59 research aircraft. The experimental supersonic jet is designed with technology that reduces the loudness of a sonic boom to a gentle thump. NASA will fly the X-59 over select U.S. communities and take surveys to record what people think of the quieter sonic thumps. The human response data will be delivered to U.S. and international regulators, who will consider setting new rules that allow supersonic flight over land.
NASA’s Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) mission will transform our communities by bringing the movement of people and goods off the ground, on demand, and into the sky. This air transportation system of the future will include low-altitude passenger transport, cargo delivery, and public service capabilities. NASA is delivering data to guide the industry's development of electric air taxis and drones and to assist the Federal Aviation Administration in safely integrating these vehicles into the national airspace. This will set the stage for a flourishing industry by 2030.
Aeronautics Research Contributions from NASA’s Field Centers
Ames Research Center in California
NASA signed agreements with five major U.S. airlines to continue developing decision-making tools designed to identify opportunities for more efficient air traffic management. One of these tools saved more than 24,000 pounds (10,886 kilograms) of jet fuel in 2022 for flights departing from two major international airports. Using this machine-learning tool and others, flight coordinators were able to reduce delays and save fuel.
Langley Research Center in Virginia
Construction continued in 2023 at Langley on NASA’s new Flight Dynamics Research Facility, which replaces the center’s historic Vertical Spin Tunnel and the 8-foot Wind Tunnel that reside on nearby Langley Air Force Base. The facility, NASA’s first new wind tunnel in 40 years, will give researchers a new vertical wind tunnel to conduct work that supports diverse NASA missions including aeronautics, space exploration, and science.
Glenn Research Center in Cleveland
Glenn in 2023 opened the brand-new Aerospace Communications Facility. The cutting-edge building is host to 25 research laboratories and other advanced facilities doing research and development on advanced radio frequencies and optical communication technologies.
Armstrong Flight Research Center in California
NASA and Boeing teamed up in 2023 to study the use of sustainable aviation fuels – greener alternatives to standard jet fuel used by airplanes – using NASA’s Armstrong-based DC-8 Flying Laboratory and Boeing’s ecoDemonstrator aircraft. The ecoDemonstrator conducted test flights switching between tanks filled either with 100-percent sustainable aviation fuel or a low-sulfur version of conventional jet fuel. NASA’s DC-8 aircraft followed behind, measuring emissions and contrail ice formation created by each type of fuel. Other collaborators for the flight campaign included GE Aerospace, the German Aerospace Center, the Federal Aviation Administration, United Airlines, and many other contributors.
