NASA unveils new aircraft capable of flying nearly 14 kilometers high
Photo: NASA unveils new aircraft (nasa.gov)
At the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, NASA unveiled its latest experimental aircraft, the X-70 Fractal, capable of climbing to an altitude of nearly 14 kilometers.
A new, high-performance, and highly adaptable research platform designed to accelerate the development and testing of advanced aviation technologies.
The manned X-70 is equipped with advanced flight control technology that can be quickly reconfigured. This will allow NASA to study the maneuverability of aircraft in modes that have never before been demonstrated in manned flights.
The aircraft is also capable of carrying approximately 910 kg of experimental payload—both in internal compartments and on external pylons.
"The X-70 Fractal gives NASA a crewed, high-performance platform to test advanced flight-control, maneuverability, and other cutting-edge technologies in real flight," says NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman.
According to him, thanks to its modular design and the ability to quickly swap out internal and external equipment, scientists will be able to conduct flights on an ongoing basis, gain new insights, and quickly transition from one experiment to another.
The first flight of the new aircraft under NASA's auspices is expected to take place within the next two years. The X-70 Fractal has a takeoff weight of approximately 4,536 kg. The aircraft is designed for a cruising speed of 0.75 Mach, can climb to an altitude of up to 13,700 meters, and has a range of about 2,000 kilometers.
Earlier, a US F-35 fighter jet shot down an enemy manned aircraft for the first time. The target turned out to be a Russian-made Yak-130.
