NASA unveils plan to ask industry for enabling technologies for future near-hypersonic passenger aircraft

CLEVELAND – Space Agency experts announced plans Wednesday to kick off a new project to develop enabling technologies for future near-hypersonic commercial passenger aircraft that travel at speeds of nearly five times the speed of sound.

Officials of the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Glenn Research Center in Cleveland say they will issue a formal solicitation in August for the NASA High-Speed Endoatmospheric Commercial Vehicle Conceptual Design Study and Technology Roadmaps Development project.

NASA is seeking to develop enabling technologies for high-speed commercial transports able to fly at speeds between Mach 2 and Mach 5 that could enter service as early as the 2030s. Mach 3 to Mach 5 represent speeds between 1,535 and 3,836 miles per hour.

Studies will identify key technology needs and opportunities to enable such passenger aircraft. Specific speed, passenger count, range, and allowable technology readiness level will be negotiated after contract award.

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NASA’s Hypersonic Technology and Commercial Supersonic Technology projects fall under the NASA Advanced Air Vehicles Program, which will lead efforts to develop an environmentally sustainable civilian high-speed aircraft. These technical criteria are subject to change in the final request for proposals (RFP).

NASA officials say they expect to release a draft RFP for this near-hypersonic passenger jet program on 28 June 2022, and sponsor online industry briefings the week of 18 July 2022. Final proposals will be due around 30 August 2022.

Companies interested should notify NASA of their intent to submit offers by email to NASA's Rita Dickens at [email protected].

NASA will take questions by email at [email protected] until 21 June 2022. More information is online at https://sam.gov/opp/60d81f712eab435e91c455cbad77e394/view.