X-57 Maxwell

Animation of an Artist concept X-57 in flight over a cityscape.

What is the X-57?

A small, experimental airplane powered by electricity!

All-electric technology will make flying cleaner, quieter, and more sustainable.

X-plane Past

X-plane Future

New Technologies

New Challenges

Animation of an Artist concept of X-57 in flight over land.

Why build an electric airplane?

Electric power is efficient and reliable. Electric motors can be placed anywhere on the plane to improve efficiency

How will the X-57 be built?

An Italian Tecnam P2006T aircraft will be modified with an electric propulsion system. NASA will compare data from the Tecnam to the X-57 to measure efficiency.

Why so many motors?

You've probably noticed all the propellers along X-57's wing. It takes a lot of lift to get an airplane off the ground!

How can all that lift be created?

Large Motors

Small Motors

Operation (Video)

Can batteries power an airplane?

Batteries power everything from your cell phone to equipment on the International Space Station! The X-57 uses rechargeable lithium-ion batteries.

Lithium-ion (Video)

X-57 Setup

Testing (Videos)

How can a small wing act bigger?

The X-57 aircraft uses 12 small motors located across the wing to increase airflow so that the wing produces lift even when the aircraft is flying slowly.

X-57 Physics (Video)

Who's on the team?

Engineers, researchers, pilots, visual artists, and many other people from the four flight centers and business partnerships work together to make the X-57 Maxwell idea a reality.

Partners Map

Meet the Team

Sean Clarke

Dionne Hernandez-Lugo

Nick Borer

Tim Williams

Matt Redifer