NASA is set to finish the aircraft operations portion of the development of the X-57 Maxwell experimental all-electric plane by September.
The agency said Friday that it has collated lessons learned from the project and will continue documentation several months after the conclusion of operational activities.
The aim of the X-57 Maxwell program was not to create a prototype but to study the feasibility of an electric propulsion design and its regulatory implications. The vehicle was developed at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California.
The project ran into mechanical challenges that are causing delays to the aircraft’s first flight, including the unavailability of some critical hardware components.
The program provided “foundational information to industry through lessons learned, and we’re seeing the benefits borne out by American commercial aviation companies that are aiming to change the way we fly,” said Brad Flick, director of the Armstrong Flight Research Center. ”The future of electrified propulsion is possible because of their contributions.”
