Lowering Emissions and Environmental Impact from Civil Supersonic Transport

Civil supersonic transport (CST) is an important emerging market due to large demand for rapid air travel. However, without novel engineering interventions, the high speeds and altitudes at which CST aircraft fly would result in disproportionate environmental impact compared to subsonic aircraft; achieving environmentally-responsible supersonic transport requires an integrated approach in which new engine technologies, aircraft systems, and fleet operations are co-optimized through the lens of environmental impact.

The overarching objective of this project is to develop technologies, design methods, and environmental models that are needed to assess and reduce the environmental impact from future fleets of CST aircraft. In parallel, this project aims to broaden the pipeline of students obtaining advanced degrees in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) by providing unique research and professional development experiences to students who may not otherwise be exposed to NASA projects.

To achieve the technical goals, the project will (1) develop and assess a novel low-emissions combustor technology for CST engine conditions based on fuel-lean prevaporized premixed flames; (2) computationally design and optimize engines using this combustor, integrate these engines into CST aircraft, and determine the emissions expected from CST fleet operations; and (3) quantify the environmental impact of the CST fleet’s emissions, closing the loop between the environment, systems, and technologies. Each element of the project will develop and use state-of-the-art methods, including laser combustion diagnostics, combustion emissions sensors, an integrated system modeling/design environment for CST aircraft, and high-fidelity and rapid-response environmental models.

This research will

1. advance fuel-lean premixed pre-vaporized combustion technology for CST aircraft engines from TRL 3 to 4, while simultaneously developing new measurement techniques and best practices;
2. provide novel design-space exploration and optimization of CST engines/aircraft using these combustors;
3. improve various sub-models used in high-fidelity and rapid-response environmental simulation tools;
4. help close the loop between environmental impact, system-level design and operation, and technology development; and
5. provide advanced training for students from traditionally under-represented groups in STEM that may not otherwise have exposure to NASA research.

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 4) — the most realistic path in is NASA SBIR/STTR, which funds small businesses and research institutions to develop technology aligned with NASA's needs (equity-free, phased funding). Check whether a current SBIR/STTR solicitation topic overlaps with this project's technology area, or contact the project directly (above) to ask.

None of these are guaranteed paths for this specific project — TechPort itself doesn't have an "apply" button. Reaching out to the contact(s) above with a specific question is usually the fastest way to find out what's actually open.