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The Future of Passenger Planes Pretty cool: Get ready for the next generation of passenger airplanes. NASA has taken the wraps off three concept designs for quiet, energy efficient aircraft that could potentially be ready to fly as soon as 2025, joining these planes of the future (and these). The designs come from Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and The Boeing Company. In the final months of 2010, each of these companies won a contract from NASA to research and test their concepts during 2011. According to NASA: "[E]ach design has to fly up to 85 percent of the speed of sound; cover a range of approximately 7,000 miles; and carry between 50,000 and 100,000 pounds of payload, either passengers or cargo. For the rest of this year, each team will be exploring, testing, simulating, keeping and discarding innovations and technologies to make their design a winner." Apparently, NASA is aiming to develop a line of super-planes that larger, faster, quieter, and that burn fuel slower and cleaner than their present counterparts. Check out the three concept planes (below), then have a look at our slideshow of more incredible planes from the future. Northrop Grumman Concept http://i.huffpost.com/gen/238604/NASA-CONCEPT.jpg Boeing Concept http://i.huffpost.com/gen/238606/NASA-CONCEPT.jpg Lockheed Martin Concept http://i.huffpost.com/gen/238605/NASA-CONCEPT.jpg IN PHOTOS: See more incredible photos of planes of the future. |
The Lockheed concept is the only one that would probably be able to use the current airline terminals. I like the Grumman design because it looks like just about everyone would be guaranteed a window seat. |
That Lockheed Martin concept must have one hell of a vertical stabilizer support structure. |
I like the Boeing one best in terms of looks. It would make me feel like I was flying around in the stealth bomber. :smilie: |
- Let's make more efficient planes! - Sure! Let's start by doubling the frontal surface area! - Awesome, let's do it! |
uh, is that just one monsterous turbo-fan? and would it really work with all the thrust at the very end of the plane like that??! |
Originally Posted by Gobbles
(Post 825324)
That Lockheed Martin concept must have one hell of a vertical stabilizer support structure. |
Can somebody tell me why in 2010, passenger airliner are still so slow? |
Originally Posted by STOPPIE
(Post 825342)
uh, is that just one monsterous turbo-fan? and would it really work with all the thrust at the very end of the plane like that??! Antonov has a pretty awesome implementation of a similar concept: YouTube - Antonov 70, Aviasvit 2008 |
Originally Posted by stuka
(Post 825500)
Can somebody tell me why in 2010, passenger airliner are still so slow? |
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