The Supersonics Project, part of NASA's Fundamental Aeronautics Program, has identified a set of key technical challenges that are barriers to success for practical supersonic cruise vehicles. Some of these barriers include: - Efficiency challenges, including supersonic cruise efficiency. There are two principal elements to supersonic cruise efficiency—propulsion efficiency and airframe aerodynamic efficiency—and these must be treated as an integrated challenge.
- Environmental challenges, including airport noise reduction, sonic boom modeling, and high-altitude emissions reduction.
For this academic year challenge, we offer two levels of the contest for high school students.
Regular curriculum students: Offer a detailed look at what needs to be accomplished in order to have supersonic commercial flight by 2020. Present your documented review of the pros and cons of supersonic flight, the challenges and the solutions. Include your informed description of the potential customers for this new service and how the service may fit with existing airport traffic.
Advanced curriculum students: Offer your designs for a highly efficient, environmentally friendly, low boom, commercial aircraft with an Initial Operational Capability (IOC) of 2020.* Your design should addresses the efficiency, environmental and performance goals described below.
- Cruise speed = Mach 1.6 to 1.8
- Design Range = 4000 nautical miles
- Payload = 35 – 70 passenger range (mixed class)
- Fuel Efficiency = 3 passenger-miles per pound of fuel
- Takeoff field length <>
For details on eligibility, due dates, notice of intent, submission requirements, paper format, evaluation criteria, and awards, consult the pages on this web site.
- Notices of intent due December 15, 2008
- Final papers due March 15, 2009
- Results announced on or before May 1, 2009
For more details visit http://aero.larc.nasa.gov/competitions_high.htm.
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