NASA Flashback: Aeronautics Project Throughout 2023

NASA/SAT's Aeronautics Project/DOK

JAKARTA In addition to focusing on space technology, the United States Aeronautics and Space Agency (NASA) is also paying attention to aeronautical projects, namely aircraft operation technology.

This field focuses on developing technology and transportation systems in the earth's atmosphere such as assembly of manned aircraft to fuel research for its aircraft. According to NASA, they have been working on many aeronautical missions this year.

"NASA continues to realize impossible things while sharing our discovery stories with the world. We are making great steps to make flights more reliable and sustainable," said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson.

NASA's first aeronautic mission to achieve is the launch of the X-66 aircraft, a collaboration aircraft with Boeing. This aircraft is designed to save fuel and be environmentally friendly to achieve the idea of net zero emissions in the aviation sector by 2025.

Next, in the middle of this year, NASA announced that the X-59 supersonic aircraft had been completed. The plane, developed by Lockheed Martin, has been installed with a jet engine and a lower empennage or tail of the aircraft at the bottom.

As part of Quest's mission, X-59 is designed with technology capable of reducing the loud sound from sonic booms to a slow bang. The aircraft has passed the test phase and will be launched for the first year next year.

Another aeronautics project that NASA is developing is Advanced Ability for Emergency Response Operations (ACERO). NASA uses drones and other advanced aviation technologies to address the problem of wild forest fires.

ACERO began working this year with government agencies, the scientific community, and the commercial industry to maximize drone use. Through this collaboration, NASA also wants to maintain the concept of safe drone operations in restricted airspace.

Furthermore, NASA also has an Advanced Air Mobility Mission (AAM). Through this mission, NASA wants to realize the movement of people and goods in the air by transporting passenger transport at a low altitude.

In this program, NASA will guide the development of the air taxi industry and electric drones. NASA will also cooperate with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to integrate safe vehicles into national airspace.

The aeronautic missions that are no less important are the development of hybrid electric aircraft, namely Saab 340B and Dash 7. The planes, which are each carried out by GE Aerospace and magniX, have a new design exhibited this year.

NASA's latest aeronautics project is studying the use of aircraft fuel. Together with Boeing, NASA wants to create alternative fuels that are more environmentally friendly. This research was conducted at the Armstrong Aviation Research Center, California.