LOS ANGELES — Boeing has won a one-year, $5.29-million NASA study contract to study advanced airliner concepts under the agency’s Environmentally Responsible Aviation (ERA) project.
Boeing joins Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman, which won parallel ERA study contracts in late November for examining airliner concepts for service entry in 2025. The teams will define a preferred system concept for an aircraft that can meet the agency’s aggressive N+2 environmental targets for commercial aircraft starting development after 2020. N+2 refers to technology appropriate for two generations beyond what is currently state-of-the-art.
Compared to a current twin-engined widebody, the N+2 goals include designs that burn 50% less fuel, reduce harmful emissions by 50% and reduce areas affected by objectionable airport noise by 83%. The concept will be capable of cruise speeds around Mach 0.85, a range of up to 7,000 mi. and a payload of between 50,000 lb. and 100,000 lb.
The teams also will develop roadmaps for developing and maturing technology to specific Technology Readiness Levels, a TRL of six being considered readhy for full-scale development. They also will prioritize technologies that must be developed in the Fiscal 2013-2015 timeframe.
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