1. 2021

   In the area of Safe, Efficient Growth in Global Operations, NASA successfully completed demonstrations of Integrated Arrival/Departure/Surface system capabilities in two busy airports, Dallas/Fort Worth and Charlotte. The new system significantly improved operational efficiency which reduces fuel burn and emissions. As an example of the benefits, at the Charlotte airport, over the period September 2017 to September 2021, this new capability saved over one million gallons of fuel and over 23 million pounds of CO2 emissions. These were the final demonstrations in a series of airspace technology demonstrations. In Commercial Supersonic Aircraft, NASA made significant progress in the Low-Boom Flight Demonstration Mission. The Low-Boom Flight Demonstrator (X-59) aircraft began the final stages of assembly. In preparation for the X-59 flight validation testing, NASA developed techniques to collect noise and performance data. NASA conducted a flight test of a nose mounted shock sensing probe on NASA’s F-15 aircraft that will measure shock wave structure. NASA’s effort in Ultra-Efficient Subsonic Transports culminated in the Sustainable Flight National Partnership to further develop and mature technologies for the next generation commercial aircraft. The Electrified Powertrain Flight Demonstrations (EPFD) project will help to rapidly mature, and transition integrated electrified aircraft propulsion technologies for introduction into the global fleet in the 2030s. In the area of In-Time System-Wide Safety assurance, NASA developed techniques that process vehicle operating performance data to predict system safety and evaluate potential mitigations. NASA demonstrated these predictive techniques for Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) vehicles. NASA evaluated the use of a tool to actively monitor components while in operation to constrain the behavior of machine learning-enabled system components. This evaluation will enable the FAA to develop requirements for certification of autonomous systems. With industry collaboration, NASA successfully completed development testing for the AAM National Campaign (NC) that demonstrated maturity of key systems and infrastructure. In support of the NC test series, NASA developed airspace management capabilities to enable urban air mobility operations.

2. 2022

   In the area of Safe, Efficient Growth in Global Operations, NASA, with industry partners, demonstrated a cloud-based trajectory management service that enables flight operators to identify efficient departure routes and improve the environmental sustainability of air transportation. In collaboration with the FAA, NASA created a web-based portal to help develop a vision of NAS operations in 2045 with input from a broad set of stakeholders. This process identified critical research and development needs. NASA conducted a series of simulations and flight tests with industry partners as part of the AAM National Campaign flight demonstrations to evaluate system-level safety, integration scenarios, and scalable system concepts. In Commercial Supersonic Aircraft, NASA made significant progress on the Quesst Mission. The X-59 supersonic aircraft was shipped to a Lockheed Martin facility in Fort Worth, TX, where it successfully completed the ground proof loads and fuel system checkout tests. NASA conducted sonic boom wind tunnel testing using a 1.6 percent scale model of the X-59 quiet supersonic technologies aircraft. These wind tunnel tests provided additional experimental data to use along with X-59 flight data. NASA conducted flight experiments using test aircraft at the Armstrong Flight Research Center to evaluate the initial version of the ground level noise recording systems. Evaluating these ground recording systems ensures that they are ready to accurately record ground-level noise from X-59 flights. In Ultra-Efficient Subsonic Transports, NASA made significant progress on the SFNP Mission. NASA tested megawatt (MW)-scale aircraft electrical powertrains under flight altitude conditions. This test was the first MW-class electrified powertrain testing at the NASA Electric Aircraft Testbed facility. NASA successfully completed a Delta System Readiness Review and a flight partner Preliminary Design Review for the Electrified Powertrain Flight Demonstrations project. NASA, in collaboration with industry, conducted aerodynamic buffet testing of an advanced thin wing Transonic Truss-Braced Wing (TTBW) model to better understand the aerodynamics of this concept. NASA and its partners completed design reviews, facility preparations, hardware assembly, and a portion of testing for technology development for small-core engines. NASA selected an initial set of technologies to enable high-rate composite manufacturing. In Safe, Quiet, and Affordable Vertical Lift Air Vehicles, NASA made significant progress toward the objectives of the AAM Mission. NASA conducted multiple wind tunnel experiments of different single-rotor and multi-rotor vertical lift vehicle configurations to validate computer-based design methods. NASA completed facility upgrades and initiated system testing for components of electric propulsion systems for AAM vehicles. Data obtained in the facility will be part of an effort to both understand and predict component failure and will provide vital data to regulatory agencies, such as the FAA. NASA demonstrated improved computer-based tools for predicting and evaluating the noise and performance of AAM vehicle configurations. These efforts benefited the AAM community by providing design tools and guidelines that increase the likelihood that their new aircraft designs will meet noise goals before the development and construction of a full-scale vehicle. In the area of In-Time System-Wide Safety assurance, NASA completed research that produced several tools and techniques for the verification and validation of critical aviation software systems. Industry partners helped to evaluate these tools, which were shown to significantly reduce verification and validation costs. With industry collaboration, NASA successfully completed development testing for the AAM National Campaign (NC) that demonstrated maturity of key systems and infrastructure. In support of the NC test series, NASA developed airspace management capabilities to enable urban air mobility operations. In Assured Autonomy for Aviation Transformation, NASA engaged with industry to develop and evaluate novel air traffic management capabilities for AAM vehicles in flight. These capabilities were rigorously validated in a controlled environment and were transitioned for use in field demonstrations. NASA delivered draft evidence and recommendations on the use of run-time monitoring for automated components and the robustness of remote operators as a backup in case of automation failure to industry standards committees and safety and regulatory partners.

3. 2023

   In the area of airspace operations and safety, NASA with industry partners developed and evaluated novel air traffic management capabilities for advanced air mobility (AAM) vehicles in flight. These capabilities were validated in a controlled environment and were transitioned for use in field demonstrations. Version 2.0 of the Urban Air Mobility (UAM) Airspace Research Roadmap was published. Through simulation and flight testing, NASA demonstrated automated aircraft vertiport operations involving automated small UAS flying nominal and off-nominal approach and landing operational scenarios that aligned with the UAM Concept of Operations. In advanced air vehicles program, NASA in collaboration with industry, demonstrated megawatt (MW)-class electric motors at simulated altitude conditions and integrated electrified systems for transport-class aircraft. These demonstrations included the flight-weight and flight-like components required to bring the technology to flight. Further, the system met safety requirements for fault management, redundancy, and power quality needed for use on commercial transports. This approach will enable future transports to use hybrid propulsion technologies for aircraft efficiency benefits. NASA designed, built, tested, and evaluated an aircraft fuselage segment fabricated with a suite of novel manufacturing technologies in a relevant environment that can improve high-rate, lightweight metallic fuselage manufacturing. The demonstration validated improvements to fasteners such as reduced weight, assembly time, and less crack initiation. New metallic manufacturing processes enhanced sustainability while reducing weight and cost and improving manufacturing rates. In transformative aeronautics concepts program, NASA completed the first flights of the Shape Memory Alloy Reconfigurable Technology Vortex Generators on the Boeing eco-Demonstrator 777-200ER, which seeks to make aviation more sustainable and fuel-efficient by decreasing drag in flight and thereby reduce aviation’s environmental impact. The completed test results displayed favorable performance at a range of operational conditions, confirming a computational fluid dynamic drag analysis that predicted reduced overall drag on the airplane, in turn allowing engines to work more efficiently, saving fuel and releasing fewer emissions. NASA developed a new alloy, GRX-810, which endures higher temperatures, is more malleable, and significantly increases durability than existing state-of-the-art alloys. The NASA used GRX-810 on combustor domes for rocket injectors. The GRX-810 had no significant damage after 39 hours of testing, allowing for future sustainable flight engines with less harmful environmental impacts.

Single Audit Applies (2 CFR Part 200 Subpart F):

For additional information on single audit requirements for this program, review the current Compliance Supplement.

1. Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958.