This future aircraft design concept for supersonic flight over land comes from the team led by the Lockheed Martin Corporation.
The team used simulation tools to show it was possible to achieve over-land flight by dramatically lowering the level of sonic booms through the use of an “inverted-V” engine-under wing configuration. Other revolutionary technologies help achieve range, payload and environmental goals.
This concept is one of two designs presented in April 2010 to the NASA Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate for its NASA Research Announcement-funded studies into advanced supersonic cruise aircraft that could enter service in the 2030-2035 timeframe.Read about all six teams’ design concepts in the article, “Beauty of Future Airplanes is More than Skin Deep.”Image credit: NASA/Lockheed Martin Corporation