NASA Unveils ‘X-70 Fractal’ Test Plane |
A NASA illustration of an X-70 experimental aircraft. Note the twin tail fins, which generally increase an aircraft’s maneuverability, hinting at the plane’s purpose. (Courtesy of NASA)
NASA Unveils ‘X-70 Fractal’ Test Plane
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The new X-plane is intended as a supermaneuverable aircraft, allowing the US space agency to collect aerodynamic data on high-speed maneuverability.
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has unveiled its latest “X-plane”—the experimental plane that will serve as a highly maneuverable test bed for the space agency.
The manned X-70 Fractal was officially introduced at the “UP.Summit” at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida. NASA developed the high-performance research aircraft to accelerate its development and subsequent testing of new aviation platforms and emerging technology.
An AI-generated rendering of the Fractal showed an aircraft with two canted vertical tail fins emerging from a cloud of gray smoke—giving a few details about what the final X-70 could resemble. Online reports compared the twin fins to the set of the F-22 Raptor and F/A-18 Super Hornet, both of which also have a twin-finned design. The Fractal X-plane is different in that sense from the still-in-development sixth-generation F-47 stealth fighter now being developed by Boeing, as........