NASA administrator hints at new high-speed aircraft in X-plane slide
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman showed a slide of a dark, SR-71-like aircraft while discussing the agency's X-plane portfolio, and declined to confirm what it was when asked.
At the All-In Summit, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman gave an ambiguous look at a possible future aircraft. A slide titled "Rebuilding our X-plane portfolio" showed a dark aircraft emerging from clouds.
The rendering hid much of the design. Seen head-on, its shape recalled the SR-71 Blackbird. Asked later about "a picture of the Blackbird," Isaacman replied: "You sure that's a Blackbird?"
Pressed on what the image showed, he said NASA is "getting back in the business of flying high and fast again." The interviewer noted the vehicle appeared to be an Earth-atmosphere aircraft rather than a space vehicle. Isaacman said the first "A" in NASA stands for aeronautics, and that the agency has contributed to advances with civil, commercial and national-security applications, citing fly-by-wire and thrust-vectoring technology used on aircraft such as the F-22.
He did not identify the aircraft or give a timeline for any programme.
Sources
- theaviationist.comNASA Chief Teases Mysterious Aircraft as Agency Plans New X-Planes