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High Efficiency Powertrain for Hybrid Aircraft (HEPHA)

Completed TRL 4 (started at 4, targeting 4)

Description

Ampaire proposes to develop hybrid electric powertrain technology consisting of a modern JetA/SAF engine plus electric machine in a hybrid electric configuration to enable flexible implementation in a number of aircraft applications. The JetA/SAF engine is a modern, high efficiency compression ignition (CI) engine from subcontractor DeltaHawk (Racine, WI) that will be coupled to Ampaire’s custom electric machine and mechanical integration to provide several key features: enabling multi-mode hybrid electric operation, significant reduction in fuel use, and the potential to integrate the technology onto Ampaire’s flying testbed in Phase 2.

Benefits

NASA benefits: Hybrid electric manned and unmanned aircraft applications including the NASA SUSAN roadmap. Non-NASA benefits: Ampaire’s roadmap of commercial certified hybrid electric aircraft.

Details

Technology areaPropulsion Systems > Aero Propulsion > Hybrid Electric Systems
ProgramSmall Business Innovation Research/Small Business Tech Transfer (SBIR/STTR)
Lead organizationAmpaire Inc, Hawthorne, CA
Start date2023-01-12
End date2023-07-12

Project contacts

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How to get involved

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.

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