NASA Tests Electric Aircraft Power Systems

NEAT includes a vacuum chamber, where this photo perspective of a power system test was taken. (Image: NASA/Bridget Caswell, Alcyon Technical Services)

NASA Glenn has repurposed its Hypersonic Tunnel Facility to create the NASA Electric Aircraft Testbed (NEAT), a reconfigurable facility that can accommodate power systems for large passenger airplanes, like a Boeing 737, with megawatts of power.

The testbed recently conducted its first megawatt-scale test. NEAT can simulate altitudes of up to 40,000 feet to test high-voltage power electronics, electric motors, and controls.

Source