NASA set a two-year window for the first flight of the crewed X-70 Fractal experimental aircraft, unveiled during the UP.Summit at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
The X-plane carries a takeoff weight of 10,000 pounds. It targets a cruise speed of Mach 0.75. It features a ceiling of 45,000 feet.
NASA designed the airframe to accommodate up to 2,000 pounds of experimental payloads across internal and external bays. The operational range exceeds 1,500 nautical miles, or roughly 1,726 miles.
Engineers Build Reconfigurable Flight Controls
The platform centers on rapidly reconfigurable flight-control technology. It explores aircraft maneuverability in ways not yet demonstrated in crewed flight. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman stated that the design prioritizes speed and flexibility for engineering teams.
The X-70 Fractal gives NASA a crewed, high-performance platform to test advanced flight-control, maneuverability, and other cutting-edge technologies in real flight
Jared Isaacman, NASA Administrator
Isaacman noted that its modular design will keep NASA teams flying, learning, and moving quickly from one experiment to the next. The system provides an ability to rapidly swap internal and external payloads. Isaacman added that people come to the agency to build, to learn, and most importantly, to fly.
Agency Expands Its Historic Fleet
The X-70 joins a lineage of experimental aircraft spanning from the Bell X-1, which broke the sound barrier in 1947, to the hypersonic X-15 and the X-59 quiet supersonic demonstrator. Laurie Grindle is director of the Aeronautics Division within NASA’s Research and Technology Mission Directorate. She noted that it is exciting to bring on another X-plane to accelerate and drive aeronautics research, continuing a storied legacy that has helped establish America’s leadership in aviation.
Prior to the official reveal, Isaacman discussed the upcoming aircraft on The Flame Trench podcast. He clarified that the new design was not the retired SR-71 Blackbird that had drawn public speculation after being removed from display at Armstrong Flight Research Center. Asked whether the retired Blackbird bearing tail number 844 had been powered on, Isaacman stated that crews were merely cleaning it.
The aircraft rollout coincides with the inaugural MAX POWER aerospace exposition at Kennedy Space Center, according to Aviationnews. The event runs from November 6 through November 8. The agency scheduled demonstrations of the X-59 there, which recently completed its first year of flight testing by reaching speeds of Mach 1.53 at altitudes exceeding 56,000 feet.
Earlier coverage: NASA to Reveal New X-Plane at Max Power Airshow