NASA Testing One of Several Futuristic Hybrid Aircraft

HAMPTON, VA (CBS SF) - On Thursday, NASA will begin showing off one design for the future of flying at the Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia.

The Federal agency has explored several futuristic flying machines. Here's a look at some of the more innovative designs:

VIEW THE PHOTOS:

D8 Put to the Test — (credit: NASA Langley/Kathy Barnstorff)

Hybrid Wing Body Goes Hybrid — (credit: NASA/MIT)

Down to Earth Future Aircraft — (credit: NASA/Northrop Grumman

Flying Wing a Regular Sight — San Francisco, Golden Gate Bridge, and Bay shot from airplane at takeoff (credit: NASA/Northrop Grumman)

Another Take on Supersonic — (credit: NASA/Lockheed Martin)

AMELIA Climbs High — (credit: NASA/Lockheed Martin)

Boxed-Wing Reduces Drag — (credit: NASA/Lockheed Martin)

Design Faces the Future — (credit: NASA/MIT)

Flying Wing Goes Commercial — (credit: NASA/MIT)

Variation on a Theme — (credit: NASA/MIT)

453736main_mit_d8-5_original_full — (credit: NASA/MIT)

453748main_ge_rgb_original_full — (credit: NASA/MIT)

453787main_lm_supers_upper_engine_original_full — (credit: NASA/MIT)

453799main_boeing_supers_original_full — (credit: NASA/MIT)

454150main_boeing_sugar_original_full — (credit: NASA/MIT)

454178main_ng_downselect_pptslide_1600x1200_full — (credit: NASA/MIT)

537761main_d-3-wbwt2_full — (credit: NASA/MIT)

537773main_d-3-wbwt3_full — (credit: NASA/MIT)

537797main_drela-students_full — (credit: NASA/MIT)

620631main_AVCPSCFormationFINAL_original_full — (credit: NASA/MIT)

The large test model is a low-weight, damage-tolerant, stitched composite structural concept called Pultruded Rod Stitched Efficient Unitized Structure, or PRSEUS. It's fuselage cross-section is uniquely shaped and will be subjected to structural testing. All designed to reduce aircraft fuel consumption, noise levels and emissions through revolutionary design and manufacture of tomorrow's aircraft. Furthering the goals of NASA's Environmentally Responsible Aviation (ERA) project.

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