NASA Pulls Plug On Electric Aircraft Project For Safety's Sake

NASA on Friday announced the termination of its X-57 project, an experimental electric aircraft, due to insurmountable safety concerns. 

What Happened: The decision was made following the discovery of a potential failure mode in the propulsion system that posed unacceptable risks to the pilot and ground personnel during ground tests, as reported by Popular Science.

Originally scheduled for a flight this year, the X-57 was designed to be powered by batteries and electric motors. However, detailed analysis and airworthiness assessments revealed previously unseen mechanical failure modes in the motors powering the propellers, making it unsafe to proceed with the project.

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Bradley Flick, director of NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center, said that mitigating this issue would require a significant extension of the project timeline, beyond its planned end. NASA concluded that it was not feasible to continue given the time and budget constraints.

Why It Matters: The cancellation of the X-57 project is undoubtedly a setback, but NASA said it remains committed to innovation in aeronautics. The agency highlighted its pride in openly sharing knowledge and technical papers, enabling private companies to pursue advancements in electric flight technology.

NASA currently has two other X-plane programs in progress. The X-59 aims to demonstrate quieter supersonic flight and is scheduled for flight this year. The newly-designated X-66A Sustainable Flight Demonstrator is expected to take flight in 2028.

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