NASA invests $11.5 million in studies for sustainable aircraft designs

NASA has launched five new studies to explore sustainable aircraft designs as part of its Advanced Aircraft Concepts for Environmental Sustainability (AACES) 2050 initiative. The agency awarded a total of $11.5 million to four companies and one university for these projects. The studies aim to identify innovative technologies and aircraft concepts that could reduce emissions and improve efficiency in commercial aviation by 2050. Awardees include Aurora Flight Sciences, Electra, Georgia Institute of Technology, JetZero, and Pratt & Whitney, each focusing on different aspects of sustainable aviation. These new efforts build on NASA's previous work in sustainable aviation technologies, including the Sustainable Flight National Partnership launched in 2021. The AACES studies are expected to be completed by mid-2026, contributing to the goal of net-zero aviation emissions by 2050.