NASA will fly in the near future a crewed X-plane, one of the experimental aircraft it created to test various technologies, for the first time in two decades. This X-plane, the X-57 Maxwell to be exact, is significant for another reason, too: It’s the first fully electric experimental plane that NASA will fly. The delivery of the X-57 Maxwell to NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in California means they can begin ground testing, which will be followed by flight testing once they confirm through the ground testing phase that it’s flight-ready. This all-electric X-57 is just one of a number of modified vehicles that will not only help NASA researchers test electric propulsion systems for aircraft, but will also help them set up standards, design practices and certification plans alongside industry for forthcoming electric aerial transportation options, including the growing industry springing up around electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft for short-distance transportation. NASA plans to share the results of its testing and flights of the all-electric X-57, as well as its other modified versions, with industry and other agencies and regulatory bodies. The X-plane project also provides another way for NASA to work toward a number of technical challenges that will have big benefits in terms of everyday commercial aerial transportation, like boosting vehicle efficiency and lowering noise to develop planes that are far less disturbing to people on the ground.
NASA is set to begin ground testing of its experimental, fully electric X-plane, the X-57 Maxwell, and, if successful, flight testing will be considered. The first test flights are expected in 2018, with a second launch planned for 2020. In addition, NASA said it would share all results with industry and other agencies, as well as regulatory bodies.