The aviation industry, a major player in global CO2 emissions at approximately 2.4 percent, has long grappled with the challenge of going electric. It’s an essential move, considering the escalating need to address climate change. Euronews highlights this global push towards electrification as both a challenge and an opportunity.
While electric flight has been realized to some extent, with lighter crafts such as drones reaping the benefits, passenger aircraft largely remain out of the electric loop. The crux of the problem lies in the current state of battery technology which, despite its advancement in the automotive sector, fails to meet the specific needs of aviation.
Understanding the Battery Hurdle
Lithium-ion batteries, a stalwart in electric cars and everyday devices, exhibit a fragility that restricts their application in aircraft. This vulnerability is why passengers receive the familiar instruction to avoid placing items like laptops or smartphones in checked luggage. The inherent risks tied to their composition make them unfit for an environment where safety is paramount.
Thus, the quest for a groundbreaking solution continues—and NASA may hold the answer.
Into the Realm of Solid-State Batteries
NASA, a name synonymous with space exploration and innovation, is now playing a pivotal role in this battery revolution. The organization’s Solid-state Architecture Batteries for Enhanced Rechargeability and Safety (SABERS) project seeks to supplant the liquid electrolyte chemicals used in traditional batteries (a known safety red flag) with solid-state alternatives.
What makes this innovation so groundbreaking? Solid-state batteries not only meet the stringent power and efficiency metrics required for aviation but also present an unprecedented level of safety. Unlike their predecessors, they won’t combust, even when damaged.
NASA’s prototype, a sulphur-selenium concoction, delivers an impressive 500 watt-hours of energy per kilogram—effectively doubling the energy density of its lithium-ion counterpart. The essence of an effective aircraft battery, NASA elucidates, is its ability to discharge energy rapidly—akin to emptying a large bucket swiftly. Their cutting-edge designs have achieved this at rates previously deemed unattainable.
As per Rocco Viggiano, SABERS’ principal investigator, these batteries not only slash the weight by 30-40% but can also hold two to three times more energy than today’s lithium-ion batteries.
The Flight Path Ahead
While the promise of these batteries is undeniably impressive, they come with their set of challenges. Their current production costs are steep, and rigorous testing awaits before they can be integrated into commercial aircraft.
However, hope remains high. NASA’s recent advancements in the technology are steadily chipping away at the barriers to electric flight.
Parting Thoughts
NASA’s endeavours paint a hopeful picture for the future of aviation, emphasizing that when innovation meets determination, the sky’s the limit. As the journey to a sustainable future in aviation continues, every breakthrough gets us one step closer.
Source: euronews.com
Recent article
EVTOL & VTOL News & Articles
The flying ambulance arrives at lightning speed
Drones News & Articles
Wing and Walmart Join Forces: Ushering a New Era of Drone Deliveries
EVTOL & VTOL News & Articles
The electric car revolution could continue in the air
Flying Cars News & Articles
What Economic Challenges and Opportunities Might Arise from a World Where Flying Cars Are Commonplace ?
News & Articles Points of interest
NASA’s new passenger craft will make ocean crossings shorter than the time it takes to watch a movie
Electric airplane News & Articles
Pyka’s Game-changing Pelican: Setting New Aerial Agricultural Standards
EVTOL & VTOL News & Articles
Unmanned aerial taxis flew in a unique formation
Electric airplane News & Articles
NASA’s Innovations: Soaring into an Electrified Flight Future
Drones News & Articles
Redefining Drone Warfare: From Expendable Units to Affordable Mass
EVTOL & VTOL News & Articles
Could eVTOLs and Air Taxis Replace Public Transport ?
Flying Cars News & Articles
The Dawn of Flying Cars: A Glimpse into the Future of Urban Mobility
Drones News & Articles
Harnessing Nature’s Flight: The Bird-Inspired Drone
EVTOL & VTOL News & Articles
Navigating the Skies of Tomorrow: Electric Air Taxis Eye the Paris Olympics
Flying Cars News & Articles
Soaring Above: Alef Automotive’s Revolutionary Flying Car Earns FAA Approval
Points of interest
Navigating the Skies: Korea’s PIBOT Set to Outdo Human Pilots
Drones
The Vanguard of Autonomous Flight: XQ-58A Valkyrie
News & Articles Points of interest
China’s JF-22 Hypersonic Wind Tunnel: The Future of Hypersonic Innovation
Drones News & Articles
A New Flight Formation: German Pilots and Drone Swarms
Drones
A New Dawn for Drone Technology: The Hypersonic Revolution
Additional aircraft News & Articles
The Morphobot: An Innovation in Multimodal Robotics
Additional aircraft News & Articles
Blazing Trails in Hypersonic Aviation: Europe’s Destinus Soars to New Heights
News & Articles Points of interest
The Dawn of AI Air Travel: Airbus and its Vision for Autonomy
EVTOL & VTOL News & Articles
Technological advances in air taxis and flying vehicles are needed to transform public transport
Air taxi News & Articles
Volocopter’s High-Flying Ambitions for the Olympics
News & Articles Propulsion-Fuel
The Horizon of Aviation: Airbus’ Vision for 2035 and Beyond
EVTOL & VTOL News & Articles
A Shift in Aviation Licensing and Training
Drones News & Articles
Russia’s Path to Drone Supremacy
Additional aircraft News & Articles
Spectacular Flight of Man-Made Saucers: Unveiling New Horizons of Sky-High Commute
Air taxi News & Articles
Israel’s Pioneering Venture into Drone Transport
Air taxi News & Articles
More efficient air taxis in the future
Air taxi News & Articles
The Coming Electric Air Taxi Revolution: Competing with Train Tickets ?
News & Articles Propulsion-Fuel
Unveiling the Whisper of Innovation: CycloTech’s Exploration into CycloRotor Noise Levels
Points of interest
Sailing the Skies in Style: Airbus’s Novel Vision for Air Travel
Drones News & Articles
Boosting Agriculture: A Drone Revolution Awaits in Budapest
News & Articles Propulsion-Fuel
Embracing the Future with Rolls-Royce’s Revolutionary UltraFan Engine
Air taxi News & Articles
Testing of perhaps the most promising air taxi begins
Additional aircraft News & Articles
Navigating the Future: Autonomous Helicopters Soar High
EVTOL & VTOL News & Articles
Embracing the Future: Seoul’s Leap into Urban Air Mobility
Flying Cars
Toyota takes to the skies: we form an alliance
Drones News & Articles
Toyota Takes to the Skies: Investing in Revolutionary Drone Technology
More articles you may be interested in...
Drones
The Vanguard of Autonomous Flight: XQ-58A Valkyrie
News & Articles Points of interest
China’s JF-22 Hypersonic Wind Tunnel: The Future of Hypersonic Innovation
Drones News & Articles
A New Flight Formation: German Pilots and Drone Swarms
Drones
A New Dawn for Drone Technology: The Hypersonic Revolution
Air taxi News & Articles
The Coming Electric Air Taxi Revolution: Competing with Train Tickets ?
The Dutch company, Electron Aviation, is making a bold promise that is set to disrupt.......... READ MORE
News & Articles Propulsion-Fuel
Unveiling the Whisper of Innovation: CycloTech’s Exploration into CycloRotor Noise Levels
In the fast-paced realm of aeronautical engineering, the introduction of CycloRotors has heralded a paradigm.......... READ MORE
Points of interest
Sailing the Skies in Style: Airbus’s Novel Vision for Air Travel
Navigating the dawn of a fresh chapter in aviation, Airbus recently shared its audacious plans.......... READ MORE
Drones News & Articles
Boosting Agriculture: A Drone Revolution Awaits in Budapest
The stage is set in Hungary, as it stands on the brink of an exciting.......... READ MORE
News & Articles Propulsion-Fuel
Embracing the Future with Rolls-Royce’s Revolutionary UltraFan Engine
Just when you thought the apex of innovation had been reached, Rolls-Royce challenges the notion.......... READ MORE
Air taxi News & Articles
Testing of perhaps the most promising air taxi begins
For some of us, the very idea of an air taxi evokes scenes straight out.......... READ MORE
Additional aircraft News & Articles
Navigating the Future: Autonomous Helicopters Soar High
Unmanned helicopters are no longer a concept in some futuristic Sci-Fi novel. They're here, revolutionizing.......... READ MORE
EVTOL & VTOL News & Articles
Embracing the Future: Seoul’s Leap into Urban Air Mobility
In an audacious move to revolutionize its transport system, Seoul - the bustling South Korean.......... READ MORE