NASA announces experimental X-70 Fractal aircraft — Space.com

NASA has announced the new experimental X-70 Fractal aircraft, designed to test advanced flight control and maneuverability systems. As Space.com reports, the vehicle will have a modular architecture that will allow external and internal components to be quickly changed during flights.

A modular platform for testing

NASA said the rapid reconfiguration technology will make it possible to study aircraft maneuverability in ways that have not previously been demonstrated in crewed flight. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman called the X-70 a high-performance crewed platform for testing control systems, maneuverability and other technologies in real flight conditions.

According to Isaacman, the agency expects the X-70 Fractal to make its first flight within two years. He also noted that people come to NASA to build, learn and fly.

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Declared X-70 specifications

The X-70 Fractal's cruising speed is expected to be Mach 0.75. The aircraft will be able to climb to an altitude of up to 13.7 km, and its range will exceed 2,777 km, or 1,500 nautical miles.

The vehicle is planned to be equipped to carry about 900 kg of experimental equipment, both inside the fuselage and on external hardpoints. The aircraft's takeoff weight is stated at approximately 4,535 kg.

Along with the announcement, NASA released an AI-generated image of the future X-70. It shows two canted vertical stabilizers against a backdrop of smoke, although the aircraft's final appearance cannot be determined from this image.