After last year s extensive wind tunnel testing at Langley Research Center s Low-Speed Aeroacoustic Wind Tunnel in Virginia, NASA s all-electric X-57 Maxwell is currently preparing for ground vibration testing (GVT) at NASA s Armstrong Flight Research Center in California.
This Modification 2 process is accomplished in tandem with cruise motor controller testing, and observing the electric vehicle at various vibration levels on the tarmac to assist engineers in validating the integrity of the plane for full flight conditions.
Credit: NASA/Armstrong Flight Research Center
When in its final flight configuration, called Modification 4, NASA will install 12 electric high-lift motors and propellers onto the top-mounted wing.
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NASA has begun the next stage of testing for its all-electric plane, with the X-57 Maxwell another step closer to setting a potential blueprint for zero-emissions aircraft in the future. Designed to demonstrate how commuter aircraft could switch from traditional combustion engines to electric motors instead, the final X-57 Maxwell design is expected to feature 14 propellers.
That’ll include 12 high-lift motors running along the leading edges of the wings, and two larger, wingtip-mounted motors that are designed for cruising. In addition to the carbon footprint, NASA expects that the system will be much more efficient in power consumption not to mention quieter for those beneath the flight path.