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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsA silent, electric plane inspired by Star Trek has no moving parts in its propulsion system
A silent, electric plane inspired by Star Trek has no moving parts in its propulsion systemWashington Post, 11/21/2018
Thats what you call an emotional journey, I guess, starting off with a successful flight and ending with a pile of plane, said Steven Barrett, an MIT professor of aerospace engineering.
The researchers rebuilt the plane and then flew it nine more times, and on Wednesday, Barrett and his colleagues published in the journal Nature what might someday be viewed as a breakthrough paper in aeronautics. They have invented a solid-state airplane. It runs on electricity from batteries. It makes no noise. It generates no exhaust. Its propulsion system has no moving parts. It has no propellers, no turbines, not even a twisted rubber band.
This futuristic aircraft was inspired by Star Trek and the graceful journeys of the starship Enterprise, Barrett told reporters in a teleconference. He said that hes a Trekkie and that about a decade ago, when he began pondering new forms of aircraft propulsion, he imagined that in the future there should be planes that fly silently with no moving parts.
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RKP5637
(67,112 posts)TeamPooka
(24,254 posts)But the batteries will improve, like microchips.
teach1st
(5,935 posts)This is not my area of expertise, but the published research (available by clicking the link in the WaPost article - you can't get there by the link in the OP here) is interesting. As proof of concept, I think it's outstanding. Anyway, about those batteries:
PJMcK
(22,048 posts)But will I be eligible for frequent flyer miles?
Jeffersons Ghost
(15,235 posts)panader0
(25,816 posts)Sorry, just kidding........
...I once had a gig where I played Accordion!
TeamPooka
(24,254 posts)Kaleva
(36,343 posts)Blue_true
(31,261 posts)When I read the article, I was partially right. I guess that they had somehow charged the wings and then ionized air under them. But they seem to have ionized air, then force the resulting ions to rush pass the wings toward a target (something held at an opposite polarity to the charges). The rush of the ions pass the wings produced lift.