X-57 Maxwell

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Context

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has decided to pull the plug on the X-57 Maxwell test aircraft at the end of the year.

About the X-57

About

The NASA X-57 Maxwell is an experimental aircraft being developed by NASA, intended to demonstrate technology to reduce fuel use, emissions, and noise

Objective

The goal of the X-57 is to demonstrate that an all-electric airplane can be more efficient, quieter and more environmentally friendly than airplanes powered by traditional gas piston engines.
The X-57 will demonstrate the use of a high-power distributed electric propulsion system for use on an aircraft, including a 460-volt battery to power 14 motors and propellers.
In addition, the X-57 will demonstrate that vehicle cruise efficiency can be optimized by integrating the versatility and efficiency of electric propulsion into the vehicle design.

A modified version of the P2006T

X-57 experiment involves replacing the wings on a twin-engine Italian-built Tecnam P2006T (a conventional four-seater light aircraft) with distributed electric propulsion (DEP) wings each containing electrically driven propellers.
The X-57 is a modified version of the P2006T, which is a twin-engined aircraft designed by the Italian aircraft manufacturer Tecnam.
However, NASA, in order to test battery-powered electric propulsion, modified the P2006T with an array of six electric motors on each of the leading edges of high-winged aircraft and a larger motor on the wingtip of each wing.

Battery and Fuel

X-57 will be more efficient and reliable with electric propulsion powered by rechargeable lithium-ion batteries. Furthermore, with no fuel being combusted, there will not be any greenhouse emissions, thus making the operating cost of the aircraft significantly cheaper.

The 12 small motors on the wings will be used during take-off, but once it reaches altitude and begins cruising, the propellers of the motor fold inwards, thus reducing drag, and the larger wingtip motors are used for propulsion when cruising.

Significance

When complete, the X-57 Maxwell test program hopes to have demonstrated how to safely operate an all-electric, zero-emissions aircraft, including its battery and power distribution systems.
That knowledge will be helpful to future engineers interested in designing all-electric air vehicles that might be used for everything from urban air mobility to moving passengers and cargo between nearby cities.

PRACTICE QUESTION

Q. Consider the following statements with respect to X-57 Maxwell:

1.X-57 Maxwell is an experimental aircraft being developed by JAXA.

2.The X-57 is a modified version of the P2006T, which is a twin-engined aircraft designed by the Italian aircraft manufacturer Tecnam.

3.X-57 will be more efficient and reliable with electric propulsion powered by rechargeable lithium-ion batteries.

4.In X-57 there will be more efficient and reliable with electric propulsion powered by rechargeable lithium-ion batteries.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2, 3 and 4 only

(d) All of the above.

Correct Answer: (b) 2, 3 and 4 only