In the coming time, people will be able to travel by cheap air. In fact, NASA and Boeing are working together on the Sustainable Flight Demonstrator Project to build, test and fly an emissions-reducing single-aisle aircraft. NASA announced this partnership on Wednesday. Apart from causing less damage to the environment, these aircraft will also save fuel, which will make air travel cheaper.

Over seven years, NASA will invest $425 million in the project, while the company and its partners will contribute the remainder of the funding (about $725 million) as agreed upon under the agreement. Apart from this, NASA will also contribute in technical expertise and facilities. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said, ‘If we are successful, we could see these technologies in aircraft by 2030.’

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson shows a model of the Sustainable Flight Demonstrator Project.

Extra long thin wing will be in the aircraft
The transonic truss-braced wing concept consists of an extra long thin wing of the aircraft which is stabilized on diagonal struts. This design makes the aircraft more fuel efficient than a traditional airliner. In fact, this shape creates less drag, which in turn burns less fuel. Apart from this, many more green technologies will be used to make the plane.

Fuel will be saved, 30% emission will be reduced
NASA expects the flight demonstrator to reduce fuel consumption and emissions by 30% compared to the current most efficient single-aisle aircraft. Bill Nelson said that saving fuel is not only beneficial for the earth, but passengers traveling on the plane will also get cheaper tickets. Boeing estimates that demand for new single-aisle aircraft will increase by 40,000 planes between 2035 and 2050.

NASA developed winglet
Earlier in the 1970s, NASA came up with a technology called winglets. The vertical extensions of the wingtips are called winglets. It is being used in all types of aircraft worldwide. The use of this technology saves a lot of fuel. Designed as small airfoils, winglets reduce aerodynamic drag. Reduced drag results in lower fuel consumption.