NASA’s X-57 is a small, experimental airplane powered by electricity. The X-57 has reached another milestone toward its first with successful thermal testing of its cruise motor controllers. Thermal testing is important because it validates the design, operability quality of the controllers. It provides critical components for providing power to X-57’s experimental electric motors. The complex systems have temperature sensitive parts which must be able to stand extreme conditions during flight.
The cruise motors convert energy into aircraft’s lithium ion batteries to power aircraft’s motors. The components used are silicon carbide transistors to deliver 98% efficiency. There was a recent test at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland where motor controllers survived while operating. The range of temperatures were varied which the plane might encounter during flight with a safety margin applied. Close monitoring ensures cruise motors will perform correctly during piloted research flights. Now the ground tested have validated the controllers under the most extreme conditions there is still a challenge in integrating Maxwell’s system.
There will be upcoming Flight Readiness Review at NASA’s Armstrong Flight research center in Edwards, California. It will be next major step before research flight takes place.